Why doesn't file_exists() work?

Question

Here is my PHP code:

[root@file htdocs]# vi test.php
<?php

var_dump(file_exists('/usr/local/apache2/resumes/28/"Chapel Hill"/franky_li/"CV.doc"'));
?>

"test.php" [New] 5L, 100C written
[root@file htdocs]# php test.php 
bool(false)

which says the file doesn't exists,but in fact it does:

[root@file htdocs]# ls -l /usr/local/apache2/resumes/28/"Chapel Hill"/franky_li/"CV.doc"
-rw-r--r-- 1 daemon root 36864 Oct 17  2008 /usr/local/apache2/resumes/28/Chapel Hill/franky_li/CV.doc
[root@file htdocs]#

seems it's indeed quote issue:

<?php


var_dump(file_exists('/usr/local/apache2/resumes/28/Chapel Hill/franky_li/CV.doc'));
?>
~
~
"test.php" 5L, 96C written
[root@file htdocs]# php test.php 
bool(true)
[root@file htdocs]#

fixed now by using the following converter:

preg_replace('/\/([^\/\s]+\s+[^\/]+)(?:\/|$)/','/"${1}"/',$file);

to make it work in bash!

Answer 1

Try removing the double-quotes, since it's already quoted with single-quotes.

Answer 2

Check the manual for file_exists.

Note this section:

"This function returns FALSE for files inaccessible due to safe mode restrictions. However these files still can be included if they are located in safe_mode_include_dir."

My guess is that you're using <PHP 6.0.0, and you have safe_mode on (it is by default, and is on most hosts). If this is the case, you won't find the file unless it's included in safe_mode_include_dir.