readdir - PHP code example

PHP Function Readdir

The php function readdir allows you to iterate over a directory and get all of the files within. This can be useful for many reasons including displaying all of the files in a certain directory on your website. For example, you may want to create a form that allows users to see all of the files in your Toys or Vacations directory. This would work like an FTP on your own server so that users can click on the file they are interested in downloading.

In order to use the php readdir function you need to have the path to the directory you want to work with open. Then the php function readdir() will take this directory handle resource and return the entry name on success or FALSE.

This is a basic usage of readdir() but it can be used in more advanced ways as well. For example, you can filter the list of files by their extensions or sort them alphabetically or based on file modification date.

You can also take advantage of the SPL functions that provide an iterator for traversing directories by using an array filter with is_file(). This way you can check each file or directory entry for being a file and only process them if they are.

Another useful function in this class is the rewinddir() function which resets the directory handle that was opened with the opendir() function. This can be helpful if you are working with a large number of files and don’t want to waste time searching for duplicated files.

readdir example

    function directory_map(string $sourceDir, int $directoryDepth = 0, bool $hidden = false): array
    {
        try {
            $fp = opendir($sourceDir);

            $fileData  = [];
            $newDepth  = $directoryDepth - 1;
            $sourceDir = rtrim($sourceDir, DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR) . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;

            while (false !== ($file = readdir($fp))) {
                // Remove '.', '..', and hidden files [optional]                 if ($file === '.' || $file === '..' || ($hidden === false && $file[0] === '.')) {
                    continue;
                }

                if (is_dir($sourceDir . $file)) {
                    $file .= DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
                }

                if (($directoryDepth < 1 || $newDepth > 0) && is_dir($sourceDir . $file)) {
                    $fileData[$file] = directory_map($sourceDir . $file, $newDepth, $hidden);
                }

/** * find all files in opened dir handle and add to maildir files * * @param resource $dh dir handle used for search * @param string $dirname dirname of dir in $dh * @param array $default_flags default flags for given dir * @return null */
    protected function _getMaildirFiles($dh, $dirname, $default_flags = array())
    {
        while (($entry = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
            if ($entry[0] == '.' || !is_file($dirname . $entry)) {
                continue;
            }

            @list($uniq, $info) = explode(':', $entry, 2);
            @list(,$size) = explode(',', $uniq, 2);
            if ($size && $size[0] == 'S' && $size[1] == '=') {
                $size = substr($size, 2);
            }
            if (!ctype_digit($size)) {
                $size = null;
            }

            $dirs       = apply_filters( 'icon_dirs', array( $icon_dir => $icon_dir_uri ) );
            $icon_files = array();
            while ( $dirs ) {
                $keys = array_keys( $dirs );
                $dir  = array_shift( $keys );
                $uri  = array_shift( $dirs );
                $dh   = opendir( $dir );
                if ( $dh ) {
                    while ( false !== $file = readdir( $dh ) ) {
                        $file = wp_basename( $file );
                        if ( str_starts_with( $file, '.' ) ) {
                            continue;
                        }

                        $ext = strtolower( substr( $file, -4 ) );
                        if ( ! in_array( $ext, array( '.png', '.gif', '.jpg' ), true ) ) {
                            if ( is_dir( "$dir/$file" ) ) {
                                $dirs[ "$dir/$file" ] = "$uri/$file";
                            }
                            continue;
                        }

$top_dir = $dir;
    $stack   = array( $dir );
    $index   = 0;

    while ( $index < count( $stack ) ) {
        // Get indexed directory from stack.         $dir = $stack[ $index ];

        // phpcs:disable WordPress.PHP.NoSilencedErrors.Discouraged         $dh = @opendir( $dir );
        if ( $dh ) {
            $file = @readdir( $dh );
            while ( false !== $file ) {
                if ( '.' === $file || '..' === $file ) {
                    $file = @readdir( $dh );
                    continue;
                }

                if ( @is_dir( $dir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $file ) ) {
                    $stack[] = $dir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $file;
                } elseif ( @is_file( $dir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $file ) ) {
                    @unlink( $dir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $file );
                }

    $size = apply_filters( 'pre_recurse_dirsize', false, $directory, $exclude, $max_execution_time, $directory_cache );

    if ( false === $size ) {
        $size = 0;

        $handle = opendir( $directory );
        if ( $handle ) {
            while ( ( $file = readdir( $handle ) ) !== false ) {
                $path = $directory . '/' . $file;
                if ( '.' !== $file && '..' !== $file ) {
                    if ( is_file( $path ) ) {
                        $size += filesize( $path );
                    } elseif ( is_dir( $path ) ) {
                        $handlesize = recurse_dirsize( $path, $exclude, $max_execution_time, $directory_cache );
                        if ( $handlesize > 0 ) {
                            $size += $handlesize;
                        }
                    }

$this->_rootFolder = new Zend_Mail_Storage_Folder('/', '/', false);
            $parentFolder = $this->_rootFolder;
        }

        $dh = @opendir($currentDir);
        if (!$dh) {
            /** * @see Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception */
            throw new Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception("can't read dir $currentDir");
        }
        while (($entry = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
            // ignore hidden files for mbox             if ($entry[0] == '.') {
                continue;
            }
            $absoluteEntry = $currentDir . $entry;
            $globalName = $parentGlobalName . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $entry;
            if (is_file($absoluteEntry) && $this->_isMboxFile($absoluteEntry)) {
                $parentFolder->$entry = new Zend_Mail_Storage_Folder($entry, $globalName);
                continue;
            }
            if (!is_dir($absoluteEntry) /* || $entry == '.' || $entry == '..' */) {

$wp_plugins  = array();
    $plugin_root = WP_PLUGIN_DIR;
    if ( ! empty( $plugin_folder ) ) {
        $plugin_root .= $plugin_folder;
    }

    // Files in wp-content/plugins directory.     $plugins_dir  = @opendir( $plugin_root );
    $plugin_files = array();

    if ( $plugins_dir ) {
        while ( ( $file = readdir( $plugins_dir ) ) !== false ) {
            if ( str_starts_with( $file, '.' ) ) {
                continue;
            }

            if ( is_dir( $plugin_root . '/' . $file ) ) {
                $plugins_subdir = @opendir( $plugin_root . '/' . $file );

                if ( $plugins_subdir ) {
                    while ( ( $subfile = readdir( $plugins_subdir ) ) !== false ) {
                        if ( str_starts_with( $subfile, '.' ) ) {
                            continue;
                        }

        $struct = array('dirs' => array(), 'files' => array());
        if (($dir = @opendir($sPath)) === false) {
            if (!$silent) {
                System::raiseError("Could not open dir $sPath");
            }
            return $struct; // XXX could not open error         }

        $struct['dirs'][] = $sPath = realpath($sPath); // XXX don't add if '.' or '..' ?         $list = array();
        while (false !== ($file = readdir($dir))) {
            if ($file != '.' && $file != '..') {
                $list[] = $file;
            }
        }

        closedir($dir);
        natsort($list);
        if ($aktinst < $maxinst || $maxinst == 0) {
            foreach ($list as $val) {
                $path = $sPath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $val;
                if (is_dir($path) && !is_link($path)) {

  private function copyRecursive($src, $dest): void {
    // Copy all subdirectories and files.     if (is_dir($src)) {
      if (!mkdir($dest, FileSystem::CHMOD_DIRECTORY, FALSE)) {
        throw new \RuntimeException("Directory $dest could not be created");
      }
      $handle = opendir($src);
      while ($file = readdir($handle)) {
        if ($file != "." && $file != "..") {
          $this->copyRecursive("$src/$file", "$dest/$file");
        }
      }
      closedir($handle);
    }
    elseif (is_link($src)) {
      symlink(readlink($src), $dest);
    }
    elseif (!copy($src, $dest)) {
      throw new \RuntimeException("File $src could not be copied to $dest");
    }

$mu_plugins = array();

    if ( ! is_dir( WPMU_PLUGIN_DIR ) ) {
        return $mu_plugins;
    }

    $dh = opendir( WPMU_PLUGIN_DIR );
    if ( ! $dh ) {
        return $mu_plugins;
    }

    while ( ( $plugin = readdir( $dh ) ) !== false ) {
        if ( str_ends_with( $plugin, '.php' ) ) {
            $mu_plugins[] = WPMU_PLUGIN_DIR . '/' . $plugin;
        }
    }

    closedir( $dh );

    sort( $mu_plugins );

    return $mu_plugins;
}

$this->_rootFolder = new Zend_Mail_Storage_Folder('/', '/', false);
        $this->_rootFolder->INBOX = new Zend_Mail_Storage_Folder('INBOX', 'INBOX', true);

        $dh = @opendir($this->_rootdir);
        if (!$dh) {
            /** * @see Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception */
            throw new Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception("can't read folders in maildir");
        }
        $dirs = array();
        while (($entry = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
            // maildir++ defines folders must start with .             if ($entry[0] != '.' || $entry == '.' || $entry == '..') {
                continue;
            }
            if ($this->_isMaildir($this->_rootdir . $entry)) {
                $dirs[] = $entry;
            }
        }
        closedir($dh);

        sort($dirs);

$dir = $this->_rootdir . '.' . $name . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $subdir;
            if (!file_exists($dir)) {
                continue;
            }
            $dh = opendir($dir);
            if (!$dh) {
                /** * @see Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception */
                throw new Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception("error opening $subdir");
            }
            while (($entry = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
                if ($entry == '.' || $entry == '..') {
                    continue;
                }
                if (!unlink($dir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $entry)) {
                    /** * @see Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception */
                    throw new Zend_Mail_Storage_Exception("error cleaning $subdir");
                }
            }
            closedir($dh);

        $this->catch = $catch;
    }

    public static function clearDirectory($directory)
    {
        if (!is_dir($directory)) {
            return;
        }

        $fp = opendir($directory);
        while (false !== $file = readdir($fp)) {
            if (!\in_array($file, ['.', '..'])) {
                if (is_link($directory.'/'.$file)) {
                    unlink($directory.'/'.$file);
                } elseif (is_dir($directory.'/'.$file)) {
                    self::clearDirectory($directory.'/'.$file);
                    rmdir($directory.'/'.$file);
                } else {
                    unlink($directory.'/'.$file);
                }
            }
        }

$folder = trailingslashit( $folder );

    if ( ! $levels ) {
        return false;
    }

    $files = array();

    $dir = @opendir( $folder );

    if ( $dir ) {
        while ( ( $file = readdir( $dir ) ) !== false ) {
            // Skip current and parent folder links.             if ( in_array( $file, array( '.', '..' ), true ) ) {
                continue;
            }

            // Skip hidden and excluded files.             if ( ( ! $include_hidden && '.' === $file[0] ) || in_array( $file, $exclusions, true ) ) {
                continue;
            }

            if ( is_dir( $folder . $file ) ) {

    protected function deleteFiles(string $path, bool $delDir = false, bool $htdocs = false, int $_level = 0): bool
    {
        // Trim the trailing slash         $path = rtrim($path, '/\\');

        if (! $currentDir = @opendir($path)) {
            return false;
        }

        while (false !== ($filename = @readdir($currentDir))) {
            if ($filename !== '.' && $filename !== '..') {
                if (is_dir($path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename) && $filename[0] !== '.') {
                    $this->deleteFiles($path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename, $delDir, $htdocs, $_level + 1);
                } elseif ($htdocs !== true || ! preg_match('/^(\.htaccess|index\.(html|htm|php)|web\.config)$/i', $filename)) {
                    @unlink($path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename);
                }
            }
        }

        closedir($currentDir);