filesize() issue

[phporcaffeine]

if I type literal text for filesize I can get the file's size. If I reference the filename by string then it returns 0


Example:

//DOES NOT WORK FOR ME

$path = "file.txt";

$size = filesize($path);

echo $size;


//THIS DOES WORK FOR ME

$size = filesize("file.txt");

echo $size;


Anyone have any ideas what I might be doing wrong?