To delete a file by using PHP is very easy. Deleting a file means completely erase a file from a directory so that the file is no longer exist. PHP has an unlink() function that allows to delete a file. The PHP unlink() function takes two parameters $filename and $context.
Syntax:
unlink( $filename, $context );
Below programs illustrate the above approach:
Program 1: This program uses unlink() function to remove file from directory.
Suppose there is a file named as “gfg.txt”
<?php // PHP program to delete a file named gfg.txt // using unlike() function $file_pointer = "gfg.txt" ; // Use unlink() function to delete a file if (!unlink( $file_pointer )) { echo ( "$file_pointer cannot be deleted due to an error" ); } else { echo ( "$file_pointer has been deleted" ); } ?> |
Output:
gfg.txt has been deleted
Program 2: This program uses unlink() function to delete a file from folder after using some operation.
<?php // PHP program to delete a file named gfg.txt // using unlike() function $file_pointer = fopen ( 'gfg.txt' , 'w+' ); // writing on a file named gfg.txt fwrite( $file_pointer , 'A computer science portal for geeks!' ); fclose( $file_pointer ); // Use unlink() function to delete a file if (!unlink( $file_pointer )) { echo ( "$file_pointer cannot be deleted due to an error" ); } else { echo ( "$file_pointer has been deleted" ); } ?> |
Output:
Warning: unlink() expects parameter 1 to be a valid path, resource given in C:\xampp\htdocs\server.php on line 12 Resource id #3 cannot be deleted due to an error
Note: If the file does not exist then it will display an error.
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