Delete a file using unlink does not work

[mrMarcus]

So how to do it, help me... 

PHP applications, and any application in general, takes proper planning and logical thinking.

 

My suggestion is: before you start any application, plan it all out.  Write down the steps that are required and how the results of those steps will be achieved.  Organization is everything.

 

Say to yourself, "When the user clicks the button to delete x images, what does the code need to do?"

 

OK - it needs to gather the appropriate reference points so the images in question can be manipulated (E.g. as you gathered in <input type="checkbox" name="delete[]" value="'.$row['img_ID'].'"/>).

 

Now, I need to delete those from the database using those ID's... check!  I also need to remove them from the appropriate directory... ummmm... to do that I will need the image names.  How do I get those?  Oh ya!  From the database.

 

As you continue writing applications you will come across ways to make your code more efficient through trial and error.

[mrMarcus]

Permission denied again  I passed 5 hours determining this damn problem, I have even broken 2 bottles because of this...

OK - what is "permission denied"?  Please, save yourself some time and grief and expand on this before being asked.  Permission denied could be a million things.  Are you seeing any errors?  Is it a file permissions issue?  Is it a folder permissions issue?  Is it a database permissions issue?

[angelali]

Warning: unlink(images/) [function.unlink]: Permission denied in C:\xampp\htdocs\troll\includes\images.php on line 53

 

The above the warning message. I set all permissions of my folders as FULL CONTROL on Windows, I don't know why iyt keeps asking this. Secondly, as the query is exeuting the image names which are stored in database, with that query $row['imgname'], I put it in a variable, and assign it to unlink function to delete the image.

[mrMarcus]

Warning: unlink(images/) [function.unlink]: Permission denied in C:\xampp\htdocs\troll\includes\images.php on line 53

 

The above the warning message. I set all permissions of my folders as FULL CONTROL on Windows, I don't know why iyt keeps asking this. Secondly, as the query is exeuting the image names which are stored in database, with that query $row['imgname'], I put it in a variable, and assign it to unlink function to delete the image.

Did you alter the code I gave you?  If so, please post it.

[mrMarcus]

I had a small typo (had mysql_fetch_row() instead of mysql_fetch_assoc() which I intended to use).  This is updated:

 

//Connect to database 
$connect = mysql_connect('localhost', 'root', '') or die ('Connection Failed');
mysql_select_db('imgdatabase', $connect) or die ('Connection Failed');

//Display images
$display = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM photos WHERE email='$reg'"); // are you sanitizing $reg?
echo "<form action='images.php' method='post'>";
echo "<table>
<tr>
<th>#</th>
<th>Your images</th>
<th>Image names</th>
<th><input type='submit' value='Delete'/></th>
</tr>";
echo "<hr/>";
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($display)) {
echo "<tr>";
echo "<td>".$row['img_ID']."</td>";
echo "<td><img src='images/".$row['imgame']."' alt='alt text' width='200' height='150' class='thumb'/> </td>";
echo "<td><a href='images/".$row['imgname']."' target='_blank'>".$row['imgname']."</a></td>";
echo '<td><input type="checkbox" name="delete[]" value="'.$row['img_ID'].'"/></td>';
echo "</tr>";
}
echo "</table>";
echo "</form>";

//Delete images details in database
if (isset($_POST['delete'])) {
$ids = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', $_POST['delete']);
$sql = "SELECT `imgname` FROM `photos` WHERE `img_ID` IN (". implode(',', $ids) .")";
if ($result = mysql_query($sql)) {
	if (mysql_num_rows($result) > 0) {
		while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
			unlink('images/'. $row['imgname']);
		}
		$del = mysql_query("DELETE FROM photos WHERE img_ID IN (".implode(',', $ids).")");
	}
	else {
		echo 'Please select a file to delete.'; // you can change up your error handling to be showed to the user
	}
}
else {
	trigger_error(mysql_error()); // remove once everything is working
}
}
mysql_close($connect);
?>

[angelali]

Notice: Undefined index: imgname in C:\xampp\htdocs\troll\includes\images.php on line 53

 

And the permission denied warning.. I get the notice after correcting your codes earlier, forgot to paste it...when I replied you the previus message

[mrMarcus]

Please post your current code and line 53 separately.

[angelali]

Hey wait....wait.... I think its good, you changed from row to assoc, I changed it to array....wait..

[angelali]

No its good now I think, let me check the database, then I will tell you.... give me 5 minutes...

[mrMarcus]

No its good now I think, let me check the database, then I will tell you.... give me 5 minutes...

Well, I charge $100 a minute, so take all the time you need

[angelali]

Mr Marcus, where do you live? I mean which country? 

[mrMarcus]

Did it work?

 

Canada.

[angelali]

If I have asked you your country, this means I would invite you for a good day on the beach in my country, enjoying some chicks, beers and the sand....because IT IS WORKING PERFECTLY LOLLLLLLLLLL            Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu

 

What should I do with this: 

 

else {
      trigger_error(mysql_error()); // remove once everything is working
   }

 

You said remove it if it is working properly...

[angelali]

And also for the array_map, can I insert strip_tags as well in it like:

 

$ids = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', 'strip_tags', $_POST['delete']);

 

 

[mrMarcus]

Haha, good to hear!

 

Well, you can remove (or comment out) that line and replace with any sort of error logging and control.  If that condition is reached, that means that the query failed and it's good to know why.

 

Something to modify in the code for better handling would be:

 

in your form

<th><input type='submit' value='Delete'/></th>

 

change to:

<th><input name='delete_button' type='submit' value='Delete'/></th>

 

Then change your entire "delete" condition block to:

 

//Delete images details in database
if (isset($_POST['delete_button'])) { // this is check to make sure button was clicked
if (isset($_POST['delete']) && !empty($_POST['delete'])) { // added to ensure at least one image was selected

	// you can also play around with ways to ensure all ID's in $_POST['delete'] are integer values and add control here

	$ids = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', $_POST['delete']);
	$sql = "SELECT `imgname` FROM `photos` WHERE `img_ID` IN (". implode(',', $ids) .")";
	if ($result = mysql_query($sql)) {
		if (mysql_num_rows($result) > 0) {
			while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
				unlink('images/'. $row['imgname']);
			}
			$del = mysql_query("DELETE FROM photos WHERE img_ID IN (".implode(',', $ids).")");
		}
		else {
			echo 'No matches in the db.'; // you can change up your error handling to be showed to the user
		}
	}
	else {
		trigger_error(mysql_error()); // remove once everything is working
	}
}
else {
	echo 'Please select a file to be deleted';
}
}

[mrMarcus]

And also for the array_map, can I insert strip_tags as well in it like:

 

$ids = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', 'strip_tags', $_POST['delete']);

 

 

 

No, but you can do:

 

$ids = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', $_POST['delete']);
$ids = array_map('strip_tags', $ids);

 

Or, just revert back to your foreach() loop like you had before.  array_map is just cleaner IMO.

[angelali]

OK will change this... Mr Marcus, thank you very much man! I love Canada as well, so sad too far.... I live in the Indian Ocean... I'm new in PHP, well not that new, but I started with it in last December. My objective is not to be professional in it, as I'm more on front-end development than back-end. However, I'm a guy who wants to have at least an Intermediate level of knowledge in different back-end languages rather than mastering a single language.

 

I'm still learning, have a lot to do, I have OO to learn (A real pain this OO), and after that, will touch Ruby... Too sad, ColdFusion is almost dead, else I would master it...as I love it..

 

Well, I added you as buddy list, thank you again man, you are great prince.. 

[mrMarcus]

Glad I could help.

 

Learn the fundamentals first.  Be comfortable working with the basic aspects of the language first (E.g. $_GET/$_POST, form handling, database access, etc), then have a peek at OO.  As is the same in any aspect of life, don't try to run before you can walk.

[angelali]

Than you...