PHP unlink (delele ) multiple files on server

Question

Sometimes, I have to delete multiple files in different folders on the server. It's a tedious job to to this one by one via FTP. I wrote a little script that does the job. I can import the list of files in Excel and copy and paste them in the script. However, my approach is not elegant:

$file1 = "some-file.php";
$file12 = "some-file2.php";

...

if (!empty($file1)) {
if ( @unlink ( $_SERVER[DOCUMENT_ROOT]."/".$file1 ) )
{
  echo 'The file <strong><span style="color:green;">' . $file1 . '</span></strong> was deleted!<br />';
}
else
{
  echo 'Couldn't delete the file <strong><span style="color:red;">' . $file1 . '</span></strong>!<br />';
}}
if (!empty($file2)) { ...

I would rather like to do this with a foreach and an array, but don't know how. Any help would be appreciated!

RTFM, then: arrays and foreach

Marc B
– Marc B

2014-03-12 14:51:27 +00:00
Commented Mar 12, 2014 at 14:51 — Marc B
– Marc B, Commented Mar 12, 2014 at 14:51

hsz · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-12 14:49:49Z

5

Just put your files into an array and loop it.

$files = array('some-file.php', 'some-file2.php');

foreach ($files as $file) {
  if ( @unlink ( $_SERVER[DOCUMENT_ROOT]."/".$file ) ) {
    echo 'The file <strong><span style="color:green;">' . $file . '</span></strong> was deleted!<br />';
  } else {
    echo 'Couldn\'t delete the file <strong><span style="color:red;">' . $file . '</span></strong>!<br />';
  }
}

answered Mar 12, 2014 at 14:49

hsz

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1 Comment

Mohit Rathod Over a year ago

is there any other way rather than foreach?? like we pass an array of paths and that all files will be deleted at a time

andrew · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-12 14:53:58Z

0

also, i think its better if you use file_exists()

if (file_exists($file1)) 
{
unlink ( $_SERVER[DOCUMENT_ROOT]."/".$file1 );
clearstatcache();
}

answered Mar 12, 2014 at 14:53

andrew

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3 Comments

njzk2 Over a year ago

why? what happens if you unlink a file that does no exist?

andrew Over a year ago

@njzk2 it's just a precaution, if file is locked or otherwise not accessible at that time. file_eixsts() will throw an error - that's why i remove the @ at the start of the unlink also.

Stack Overflow Over a year ago

If file does not exist, it will silently return false, no need file_exists.

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