path/directory joining issues

[sader]

Hi guys

I am doing image upload function for my application, it works but the way

it's done I don't like very much.

The thing is that I mest up with path seperators.

 

In my datebase I heve setting called image_upload_directory value = "uploads\images\" so this format is correct in my case but if it's setted to "\uploads\images\" or "\uploads\images" everything is mest up cuz those slashes at the end or begining are meaningful, so I must be very careful and accurate with it  :-\

 

Let's look what if I try join this string with getcwd()."uploads\images\", it becomes even more worse "C:/root/bb/\uploads\usermimes\".

Ok what about saving joined string to database? It becomes something like "uploads/images//image001.gif" or "\uploads/images///image001.gif"

 

And here u go there is DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR &  PATH_SEPARATOR constants 

So they want to tell me that every server may set his own seperator?

Omg... Will my normal inludes work, or should I

include("classes".DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR."classA.php") <= I really dont' want do that

if server is using for example '@' as directory seperator?

 

And this is only on Windows OS what will heppen on Unix?

 

As You can see I found meny thigs disturbing, and this is not first and not last time when I need to join directory name from seperate chunks. So I am asking maybe someone from you knows neat way to handle these "joining" variations or maybe just could explane what is correct seperator or correct rules or soemthing...

[PFMaBiSmAd]

Windows versions of php convert / to \ before passing the path to operating system calls. So, just always use /

[wildteen88]

I always use / as my directory separator regardless of the OS the script will be running on. However if you're going to use \ then define your paths within single quotes instead, eg

 

include 'path\to\script';

 

With single quotes escape characters are not parsed.

[jonsjava]

kinda my thought on it too.  you use "\" for escape characters. Example:

\n = "new line"

\t = "tab"

\r = "carrier return"

also, if you are echoing something, and you want it echoed verbatim, you use the "\":

<?php
echo "$test";
?>

will get you "Notice: <FILENAME> line 2 - Undefined Variable: test"

while

<?php
echo "\$test";
?>

will print "$test" to the screen.

 

[sader]

Re:jonsjava that is exactly  one of those annoying problems

 

Firstly as u guys have suggested I changed all \ to / then

I experimented a bit and here's what I find out.

 

Extra "/" at the begining of string was BAD and function move_uploaded_file() failed, but for example any count of "/" one by one(Ex: "//////////") will be interpretated as legal seperator so  for example path "uploads/////images/image001.gif" is correct. Not sure how correct is that, but at least I was able to see my picture.

 

Anyway what about those DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR,  PATH_SEPARATOR?

Are they useful, in what cases I should bother about them?

 

btw: PATH_SEPARATOR echoed ; what for is that one?

 

Tnx for advices.