# File Helper

The File Helper file contains functions that assist in working with files.

- Loading this Helper
- Available Functions

## Loading this Helper

This helper is loaded using the following code:

    $this->load->helper('file');

## Available Functions

The following functions are available:

`read_file`($file)

  Parameters:

  - $file (string) – File path

  Returns: | File contents or FALSE on failure
  Return type: | string

  Returns the data contained in the file specified in the path.

  Example:

      $string = read_file('./path/to/file.php');

  The path can be a relative or full server path. Returns FALSE (boolean) on failure.

  Note

  The path is relative to your main site index.php file, NOT your controller or view files. CodeIgniter uses a front controller so paths are always relative to the main site index.

  Note

  This function is DEPRECATED. Use the native `file_get_contents()` instead.

  Important

  If your server is running an open_basedir restriction this function might not work if you are trying to access a file above the calling script.

`write_file`($path, $data[, $mode = 'wb'])

  Parameters:

  - $path (string) – File path
  - $data (string) – Data to write to file
  - $mode (string) – `fopen()` mode

  Returns: | TRUE if the write was successful, FALSE in case of an error
  Return type: | bool

  Writes data to the file specified in the path. If the file does not exist then the function will create it.

  Example:

      $data = 'Some file data';
      if ( ! write_file('./path/to/file.php', $data))
      {
              echo 'Unable to write the file';
      }
      else
      {
              echo 'File written!';
      }

  You can optionally set the write mode via the third parameter:

      write_file('./path/to/file.php', $data, 'r+');

  The default mode is ‘wb’. Please see the PHP user guide for mode options.

  Note

  The path is relative to your main site index.php file, NOT your controller or view files. CodeIgniter uses a front controller so paths are always relative to the main site index.

  Note

  This function acquires an exclusive lock on the file while writing to it.

`delete_files`($path[, $del_dir = FALSE[, $htdocs = FALSE]])

  Parameters:

  - $path (string) – Directory path
  - $del_dir (bool) – Whether to also delete directories
  - $htdocs (bool) – Whether to skip deleting .htaccess and index page files

  Returns: | TRUE on success, FALSE in case of an error
  Return type: | bool

  Deletes ALL files contained in the supplied path.

  Example:

      delete_files('./path/to/directory/');

  If the second parameter is set to TRUE, any directories contained within the supplied root path will be deleted as well.

  Example:

      delete_files('./path/to/directory/', TRUE);

  Note

  The files must be writable or owned by the system in order to be deleted.

`get_filenames`($source_dir[, $include_path = FALSE])

  Parameters:

  - $source_dir (string) – Directory path
  - $include_path (bool) – Whether to include the path as part of the filenames

  Returns: | An array of file names
  Return type: | array

  Takes a server path as input and returns an array containing the names of all files contained within it. The file path can optionally be added to the file names by setting the second parameter to TRUE.

  Example:

      $controllers = get_filenames(APPPATH.'controllers/');

`get_dir_file_info`($source_dir, $top_level_only)

  Parameters:

  - $source_dir (string) – Directory path
  - $top_level_only (bool) – Whether to look only at the specified directory (excluding sub-directories)

  Returns: | An array containing info on the supplied directory’s contents
  Return type: | array

  Reads the specified directory and builds an array containing the filenames, filesize, dates, and permissions. Sub-folders contained within the specified path are only read if forced by sending the second parameter to FALSE, as this can be an intensive operation.

  Example:

      $models_info = get_dir_file_info(APPPATH.'models/');

`get_file_info`($file[, $returned_values = array('name', 'server_path', 'size', 'date')])

  Parameters:

  - $file (string) – File path
  - $returned_values (array) – What type of info to return

  Returns: | An array containing info on the specified file or FALSE on failure
  Return type: | array

  Given a file and path, returns (optionally) the name, path, size and date modified information attributes for a file. Second parameter allows you to explicitly declare what information you want returned.

  Valid `$returned_values` options are: name, size, date, readable, writeable, executable and fileperms.

`get_mime_by_extension`($filename)

  Parameters:

  - $filename (string) – File name

  Returns: | MIME type string or FALSE on failure
  Return type: | string

  Translates a filename extension into a MIME type based on config/mimes.php. Returns FALSE if it can’t determine the type, or read the MIME config file.

      $file = 'somefile.png';
      echo $file.' is has a mime type of '.get_mime_by_extension($file);

  Note

  This is not an accurate way of determining file MIME types, and is here strictly for convenience. It should not be used for security purposes.

`symbolic_permissions`($perms)

  Parameters:

  - $perms (int) – Permissions

  Returns: | Symbolic permissions string
  Return type: | string

  Takes numeric permissions (such as is returned by `fileperms()`) and returns standard symbolic notation of file permissions.

      echo symbolic_permissions(fileperms('./index.php'));  // -rw-r--r--

`octal_permissions`($perms)

  Parameters:

  - $perms (int) – Permissions

  Returns: | Octal permissions string
  Return type: | string

  Takes numeric permissions (such as is returned by `fileperms()`) and returns a three character octal notation of file permissions.

      echo octal_permissions(fileperms('./index.php')); // 644