PHP | ftp_nlist() function

The ftp_nlist() function is an inbuilt function in PHP which is used to get the list of all the filename and sub-directory in a specific directory on FTP server.

Syntax:

ftp_nlist( $ftp_connection, $directory );

Parameters: This function accepts two parameters as mentioned above and described below:  

• $ftp_connection: It is required parameter. It specifies the already existing FTP connection to get the list of all files and sub-directory of a directory in FTP server.
• $directory: It is required parameter of String type. It specifies the directory in remote server i.e. FTP server whose file & sub-directory is to list.

Return Value: It returns array of file names and sub-directory on success and false on failure.

Note:

• This function is available for PHP 4.0.0 and newer version.
• The following examples cannot be run on online IDE. So try to run in some PHP hosting server or localhost with proper ftp server name.
• Don’t confused with filename and sub-directory! Many websites assumed sub-directory name also as filename.

Below examples illustrate the ftp_nlist() function in PHP: 

Example 1:

PHP

<?php

// Connect to FTP server

// Use a correct ftp server
$ftp_server = "localhost";

// Use correct ftp username
$ftp_username="username";

// Use correct ftp password corresponding
// to the ftp username
$ftp_userpass="password";

// File name or path to upload to ftp server
$file = "filetoupload.txt";

// Establishing ftp connection
$ftp_connection = ftp_connect($ftp_server)
    or die("Could not connect to $ftp_server");

if($ftp_connection) {
    echo "successfully connected to the ftp server!";

    // Logging in to established connection
    // with ftp username password
    $login = ftp_login($ftp_connection, $ftp_username, $ftp_userpass);

    if($login){

        // Checking whether logged in successfully or not
        echo "<br>logged in successfully!";

        // Get file & directory list of current directory
        $file_list = ftp_nlist($ftp_connection, ".");

        //output the array stored in $file_list using foreach loop
        foreach($file_list as $key=>$dat) {
            echo $key."=>".$dat."<br>";
       }
    }
    else {
        echo "<br>login failed!";
    }

    // echo ftp_get_option($ftp_connection, 1);
    // Closing  connection
    if(ftp_close($ftp_connection)) {
        echo "<br>Connection closed Successfully!";
    }
}

?>

Output:

Content of that directory in file manager:

Example 2: Connect to ftp server using port number 21 and then list directory content.  

PHP

<?php

// Connect to FTP server

// Use a correct ftp server
$ftp_server = "localhost";

// Use correct ftp username
$ftp_username="username";

// Use correct ftp password corresponding
// to the ftp username
$ftp_userpass="password";

// File name or path to upload to ftp server
$file = "filetoupload.txt";

// Establishing ftp connection
$ftp_connection = ftp_connect($ftp_server, 21)
    or die("Could not connect to $ftp_server");

if($ftp_connection) {
    echo "successfully connected to the ftp server!";

    // Logging in to established connection
    // with ftp username password
    $login = ftp_login($ftp_connection, $ftp_username, $ftp_userpass);

    if($login){

        // Checking whether logged in successfully or not
        echo "<br>logged in successfully!";

        // Get file & directory list of current directory
        $file_list = ftp_nlist($ftp_connection, ".");

        //output the array stored in $file_list using foreach loop
        foreach($file_list as $key=>$dat) {
            echo $key."=>".$dat."<br>";
       }
    }
    else {
        echo "<br>login failed!";
    }

    // echo ftp_get_option($ftp_connection, 1);
    // Closing  connection
    if(ftp_close($ftp_connection)) {
        echo "<br>Connection closed Successfully!";
    }
}

?>

Output:

Content of that directory in file manager:

Reference: https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.ftp-nlist.php