unlink() is not deleting my file

[inchecksolution]

Hi Guys,

I have a database and one of the columns contains links to images stored on my server. I have a cron job that filters through the database and deletes rows that are old. When a row is deleted, I also want to delete whatever image was stored in the 'image' filed of that row. I have the following code where the row is deleting fine, but the image is not getting deleted. Someone told me the image path used in unlink has to be relative which is why I am using substr()

//AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WOULD BE IN THE IMAGE FIELD: http://www.dealbind.com/images/dealimages/6369.jpg
$findold = "SELECT * FROM deals WHERE TIMESTAMPDIFF(HOUR, `insertdate`, NOW() ) > 2";
$execute = mysql_query($findold);
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($execute)){
    $image = $row['image'];
    $imagesub = substr($image,0,23);
    if($imagesub == "http://www.dealbind.com"){
        unlink(substr($image,23));
    }
    $dealid = $row['dealid'];
    $delete = "DELETE FROM deals WHERE dealid = '$dealid'";
    $executedelete = mysql_query($delete);
} 

[tangoforce]

Something looks iffy here:

    $image = $row['image']; //Get image file path/name
    $imagesub = substr($image,0,23); //Get part of it
    if($imagesub == "http://www.dealbind.com"){ //IF beginning is this domain
        unlink(substr($image,23)); //Delete file from URL PATH??!?!?!?!?!
    } 

Supposing your file url is:
http://www.dealbind.com/images/image1.jpg

Now on your file system that could be completely different:
/usr/<login>/public_html/images/image1.jpg
OR
c:/httpdocs/images/image1.jpg

You can't rely on the file path being taken from the URL. You need to remember that you must always use file paths for the OPERATING SYSTEM. Relative paths are supported normally but you must be sure you get them correct OR use the full path.

Where are the images stored on the disk? - What is the directory structure?

[inchecksolution]

Yes I was using the relative file path - relative to this file:

    $image = $row['image']; //Get image file path/name
    $imagesub = substr($image,0,23); //Get part of it
    if($imagesub == "http://www.dealbind.com"){ //CHECK IF IMAGE IS HOSTED ON MY SERVER (some are not)
        unlink(substr($image,23)); //Delete relative path ex. /images/image1.jpg
    } 

The images are stored in public_html/images/dealimages/image#.jpg

I don't know what the directory structure is called. I use the standard cPanel that comes with hostgator if that helps?

[tangoforce]

So where is the script itself located?

[inchecksolution]

So where is the script itself located?

It is located in the home directory: public_html/filterold.php

[tangoforce]

So your filepath should look like images/dealimages/image#.jpg

Sometimes you need a / at the front other times you don't. If that doesn't work then try the full path (which you'll find in your control panel).

[inchecksolution]

So your filepath should look like images/dealimages/image#.jpg

Yes, this is what my file path is. The unlink(substr($image,23)); yields /images/dealimages/2349.jpg

This is why I am confused as to why it's not working.

[tangoforce]

Ok, run this please and tell me the output:

print substr($image,23) .'<br>';
print (file_exists(substr($image,23))) ? 'File exists' : 'No file found'; 

Also note that you may need to remove that first slash.

[inchecksolution]

OK. I have set up a test using the following code, and added your 'print' lines to it:

mycode:

        $image = "http://www.dealbind.com/images/dealimages/0.jpg";
    $imagesub = substr($image,0,23);
    unlink(substr($image,23));
    print substr($image,23) .'<br>';
    print (file_exists(substr($image,23))) ? 'File exists' : 'No file found'; 

result:

Warning: unlink(/images/dealimages/0.jpg) [function.unlink]: No such file or directory in /home/dealbind/public_html/test.php on line 13
/images/dealimages/0.jpg
No file found

[tangoforce]

Warning: unlink(/images/dealimages/0.jpg) [function.unlink]: No such file or directory in /home/dealbind/public_html/test.php on line 13
/images/dealimages/0.jpg
No file found

Have you tried removing that extra slash / ? - The one I said was the first slash at the beginning of your file path.

[inchecksolution]

Have you tried removing that extra slash / ?

I think that did the trick!! The test worked. Now I will implement it and see how it goes

THANKS!

[tangoforce]

No worries.

Understand why this was happening though? - your error message gave it away:

/images/dealimages/0.jpg [function.unlink]: No such file or directory in /home/dealbind/public_html/test.php

Add those together and you would have
/home/dealbind/public_html//images/dealimages/0.jpg