PHP - Move a file into a different folder on the server

Question

I need to allow users on my website to delete their images off the server after they have uploaded them if they no longer want them. I was previously using the unlink function in PHP but have since been told that this can be quite risky and a security issue. (Previous code below:)

if(unlink($path.'image1.jpg')){ 
     // deleted
}

Instead i now want to simply move the file into a different folder. This must be able to be done a long time after they have first uploaded the file so any time they log into their account. If i have the main folder which stores the users image(s):

user/

and then within that a folder called del which is the destination to put their unwanted images:

user/del/

Is there a command to move a file into a different folder? So that say:

user/image1.jpg

moves to/becomes

user/del/image1.jpg

Pettus

Answer 1

The rename function does this

docs rename

rename('image1.jpg', 'del/image1.jpg');

If you want to keep the existing file on the same place you should use copy

docs copy

copy('image1.jpg', 'del/image1.jpg');

If you want to move an uploaded file use the move_uploaded_file, although this is almost the same as rename this function also checks that the given file is a file that was uploaded via the POST, this prevents for example that a local file is moved

docs move_uploaded_file

$uploads_dir = '/uploads';
foreach ($_FILES["pictures"]["error"] as $key => $error) {
    if ($error == UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
        $tmp_name = $_FILES["pictures"]["tmp_name"][$key];
        $name = $_FILES["pictures"]["name"][$key];
        move_uploaded_file($tmp_name, "$uploads_dir/$name");
    }
}

code snipet from docs

Denice

One problem with rename() and copy() is you lost all the metadata such as created and modified date for example.. have that in mind. – Volteface

The downside of rename() is that it doesn't actually moves the file as you expect. You'll need to use something like basename() or pathinfo() to retrieve the filename in order to store the file in the new directory with the same name. – Ard

Answer 2

Use the rename() function.

rename("user/image1.jpg", "user/del/image1.jpg");

Ordination

Answer 3

If you want to move the file in new path with keep original file name. use this:

$source_file = 'foo/image.jpg';
$destination_path = 'bar/';
rename($source_file, $destination_path . pathinfo($source_file, PATHINFO_BASENAME));

Canonry

Worked like a charm. – Paste

If you want to change the file name you can do it simply like this rename("/tmp/tmp_file.txt", "/home/user/login/docs/my_file.txt"); – Cosmetic

Answer 4

Some solution is first to copy() the file (as mentioned above) and when the destination file exists - unlink() file from previous localization. Additionally you can validate the MD5 checksum before unlinking to be sure

Nairobi

Answer 5

I using shell read all data file then assign to array. Then i move file in top position.

i=0 
for file in /home/*.gz; do
    $file
    arr[i]=$file
    i=$((i+1)) 
done 
mv -f "${arr[0]}" /var/www/html/

Alurd

Please explain that further - how could this work using PHP? – Seppuku

Answer 6

Use file this code

function move_file($path,$to){
   if(copy($path, $to)){
      unlink($path);
      return true;
   } else {
     return false;
   }
 }

Eliott

This should be the accepted answer, this to me is perfect. rename() is fine but it changes the file. – Meshuga

Answer 7

Create a function to move it:

function move_file($file, $to){
    $path_parts = pathinfo($file);
    $newplace   = "$to/{$path_parts['basename']}";
    if(rename($file, $newplace))
        return $newplace;
    return null;
}

Ineffectual

Answer 8

function xmove($src,$dst)
{

  if(is_dir($src)===true)
  { $dir=opendir($src);
    while (($file = readdir($dir)) !== false) {
        if ($file === '.' || $file === '..') {
            continue;
        }

        if (is_dir($src."/".$file) === true) {
            if (is_dir("$dst/$file") === false) {
                mkdir("$dst/$file");
            }
            //echo basename("$file")."<br>";
                xmove($src."/".$file,$dst."/".$file);
            
        }
        else {
            copy("$src/$file", "$dst/$file");
            unlink("$src/$file");
            
        }
    }

    closedir($dir);
    rmdir($src);
    return true;

  }else
  return false;

}

Isidraisidro

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please edit to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – Adjuvant

Answer 9

use copy() and unlink() function

$moveFile="path/filename";
if (copy($csvFile,$moveFile)) 
{
  unlink($csvFile);
}

Davy

Answer 10

shell_exec('mv filename dest_filename');

Selfless

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