[SOLVED] batch file deleting and folder deleting needed due to user problem

[johlwiler]

Hi all,

 

I have a folder in my web site where I used php to create and copy in files. but now I can't delete them easily. The only way I know how that is possible is through php. I get an error the following ftp error:

550 th: Permission denied

I had the chmod() set to 0777 on every file and folder. But I still seem to loss control over the files when I try and do things with them through other means.

 

I think it is because the user I use to access the files via ftp a diffrent user. So I tryed to add a function with chown() for the new files I was posting and uploading. It didn't work on those new files. so it looks like the only thing I can do is use the unlink() function which deletes the files fine.

 

The only problem is now I have something like 100 sub directories all with files in them. I need to figure out a way to batch delete them. I can't find a script that goes through and finds all file contents including all sub directories and unlink those things.

 

I found some that will use a for loop to list out the contents of a folder but it is just files. No sub directories.

 

Any body got any ideas on which functions I should use or know where a script is that I can base mine off of.

 

I am not sure how to approach this since what I tryed with chown and chmod has failed thus far.

 

I currently have no code and am starting from scratch on this batch flushing of my directory.

[rarebit]

can you ssh into account or are you wanting a php script?

[jscix]

is_dir()

 

opendir()

 

readdir()

 

closedir()

 

 

if you need more help, pm me.

[johlwiler]

I can't ssh in just ftp. If I did and could su root I wouldn't have a problem at all.

So I think my only option is php.

 

I think I see what jscix is saying

 

open the directory

then read all contents

from there I guess I can find a way to unlink them

then close the directory

the only thing is here how would I deal with sub directories

 

I have a file propimg then under that I have folders with different contents under different naming conventions. then most of those folders have sub folders. Total it is like 700 different files and folders.

 

Am I going to have to go one by one through them all??

 

Thats what I am trying to figure out.

[rarebit]

Sorry for crudeness, but use a recursive function (one that calls itself):

func(d)
a = readdir(d)
foreach a
   if file unlink, delete
   else func(a[])

[johlwiler]

got ya, I'll try it and see were it gets me.

[jscix]

This has not been tested well, im sure there are tons of errors.. anyway. I hope it helps you.

 

<?php

function DelTree($start_Directory) {
$directory_List = array();
echo "<b>Removing all contents from: " . $start_Directory . "</b><br>";

if ($handle = opendir($start_Directory))
{
while (false !== ($curEle = readdir($handle)))
  {
   if (is_dir($curEle) && substr($curEle,0,1) !== ".")
   {
   array_push($directory_List,$curEle);
   } 
   else
     {
      echo "unlink file: " . $curEle . "<br>";
     }
  }
  closedir($handle);
}

foreach ($directory_List as $dir)
  {
      $new_Dir = $dir;
      array_shift($directory_List);
      DelTree($new_Dir);
  }

}

DelTree("/var/www/");



?>

[johlwiler]

ok

I tryed rarebits code idea first and got some hang ups so I moved on to jscix

 

got his to respond fine with out the unlink function. it echoed out all the directories. So right below the echo I add unlink to the and the same varible and got a loop of errors instead. Basically telling my that the files and dir do not exists.

Warning: unlink(1): No such file or directory in /home/worldproperties/www/worldpropertiesonline.net/delete_all.php on line 18

unlink file: 4

 

here is the code

 

<?php

function DelTree($start_Directory) {
$directory_List = array();
echo "<b>Removing all contents from: " . $start_Directory . "</b><br>";

if ($handle = opendir($start_Directory))
{
while (false !== ($curEle = readdir($handle)))
  {
   if (is_dir($curEle) && substr($curEle,0,1) !== ".")
   {
   array_push($directory_List,$curEle);
   } 
   else
     {
      echo "unlink file: " . $curEle . "<br>";
  unlink($curEle); //added by me to unlink the files.
     }
  }
  closedir($handle);
}

foreach ($directory_List as $dir)
  {
      $new_Dir = $dir;
      array_shift($directory_List);
      DelTree($new_Dir);
  }

}

DelTree("/home/worldproperties/www/worldpropertiesonline.net/propimg");



?>

[johlwiler]

ok in the unlink I added the $start_Directory variable.

 

  $deldir=$start_Directory."/".$curEle;

  unlink($deldir);

 

And it lopped through with this error which is making me think I need to call my host unless I am missing something.

 

Warning: unlink(/home/worldproperties/www/worldpropertiesonline.net/propimg/1): Operation not permitted in /home/worldproperties/www/worldpropertiesonline.net/delete_all.php on line 19

unlink file: 4

 

is the error I am getting except it is looping through on every file.

 

operation not permitted.

 

this is getting very weird.

[jscix]

That is happening because on each loop through $start_Directory is getting replaced by the current directory that it's in,

 

you need to use a full path name for the unlink;

 

on a side-note: I'm sorry - I should of mentioned, never run something that deletes files in that way, without first making sure it's going to do EXACTLY, what you want it to.

[johlwiler]

I figured out the problem you can't unlink dir you have to use rmdir() so I built an if statement that showed if it was a dir or file and either unlinked it or opened it to delete what was in it and then unlinked it. Thanks for everyones input. jscix you headed me right where I needed. Thanks