On Windows, can you use UNC like paths to files in PHP, for functions like file_get_contents(), etc?

Question

(Assuming the network folders/permissions are correctly set up and working in Windows, and a 'default' PHP setup...)

Is it possible to use UNC network paths [like \\ServerName\Folder\file.txt] in PHP's functions like file_get_contents(), fopen(), etc?

And/or, what special cases allow/disallow this?

Answer 1

UNC paths should "WORK" if permissions are set properly. And the network folders are allowed to be accessed by apache user, then there won't be any problem.

In these scenarios open_basedir creates problems, just keep an eye on that

Answer 2

PHP absolutely permits UNC paths. You may have issues regarding which user is actually executing the code. If it is Apache running as a service then the user will be whatever user is listed in the entry for the windows service. if it is IIS then the user is typically IUSR_machineName. If it is as a console then it is the currently executing user.

Answer 3

no, unc path not work with command like @exec for exemple ! (if you have a php script inside an unc path that do @exec, it's will failed, even if the @exec point to an executable in your c:\ directory)