pass filename as variable error

[[email protected]]

Hi,

 

this works:

 

if(file_exists("myFile.txt")){etc.}

 

this doesn't:

 

$myFile = "myFile.txt";

if(file_exists($myFile)){etc.}

 

Can anybody explain this to me?

I'd really like to pass the filename as a variable...

 

Kind regards,

R.

 

 

[AyKay47]

That will work, something else must be going on if that is not working.

Please post the relevant code.

[[email protected]]

<?php

$mathSportFile = "mathSportFile.xml";

$timeFile = "timeFile.txt";

 

 

function compareTimeStamps(){

 

if (file_exists("timeFile.txt")){

$oldTime = file_get_contents("timeFile.txt");

}else{

$oldTime =  date("F d Y H:i:s", filemtime("timeFile.txt"));

}

$newTime = date("F d Y H:i:s", filemtime("mathSportFile.xml"));

 

if ($oldTime == $newTime){

$echoRes = 'the same';

}else{

$echoRes = 'different';

$fh = fopen("timeFile.txt", 'w') or die("can't open file");

fwrite($fh, $newTime);

fclose($fh);

 

}

echo $echoRes;

}

 

compareTimeStamps();

 

?>

 

if you change any of these filenames by the variable (top) it doesn't work...

I was convinced it would work as well...

 

 

[[email protected]]

Does it make a difference if the page is called by an AJAX script with "xmlHttp"?

I'm convinced it shouldn't but unexplainable errors make you doubt everything...

[[email protected]]

Still trying to find out what's going on...

 

when I put the variables further down in the script e.a. not at the top, it does work.

 

Who can explain this?

 

[AyKay47]

this is an issue dealing with variable scope

 

You will either need to introduce the variables inside of the functions local scope, or pass them in as function parameters.

[[email protected]]

Thanks, works fine when I pass the variables to the function...

 

I was convinced variables declared outside the function would have a "global" scope !?#

Apparently not...

 

 

[AyKay47]

Thanks, works fine when I pass the variables to the function...

 

I was convinced variables declared outside the function would have a "global" scope !?#

Apparently not...

 

No they do not, and do not get into the habit of using the global keyword.

Using it should always be avoided.

[[email protected]]

I will obey!!

Thanks a million,

 

Regards,

Redge

[Adam]

Thanks, works fine when I pass the variables to the function...

 

I was convinced variables declared outside the function would have a "global" scope !?#

Apparently not...

 

JavaScript behaves that way. Could be what's throwing you off?