stored db url does not echo image

Question

I have a MySQL db with a table, that has the following field:

txtProductBowlImage: example " C:\BowlPhotos\Thumbs\MapleTi07-030tmb.jpg"

I want to use the data in that field to produce an image that I can print to a text file.

I read the data then try to echo it to the screen...and I see a small icon, but no image.

Here's the code:

    <?php
 $con = mysql_connect("localhost","xxxxxxx","zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz");
if (!$con)
  {
  die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
  }

mysql_select_db("scwdb", $con);

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM tblsplintersbowlinventory WHERE txtVenue = 'Shoreline'");

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
  {
  echo $row['intProductID'] . " " . $row['txtProductBowlCode'] . " " . $row['txtProductBowlImage'] . "]";
  echo "<br />";
  echo "<br />";
  echo 'txtProductBowlImage: ' . $row['txtProductBowlImage'];
  echo "<br />";
  $img = $row['txtProductBowlImage'];
  echo '...............$img: ' . $img;
  echo "<br />";
  echo "<img src=" . $img . ">";
  echo "<img src='C://BowlPhotos//Thumbs//Ash07-013_btmb.jpg'>";
  echo "<img src='Ash07-013_btmb.jpg'>";
  echo "<br />";
  echo "==================";
  echo "<br />";
  }

mysql_close($con);
?> 

Note that I try 3 times to show an image: 1: using the url from the db and putting it in an echo statement this url uses the '\' separater in the data. 2: imbedding a sample of the actual text path and filename in an echo statement this url uses the '/' separater in the url. 3: imbedding only the filename, no path, in an echo statement

When I run this, I get the following output:

Echo #1 & #2 produce the icon, echo #3 shows a local copy of the image in the same folder as the php.

From this it appears that it is the path that is not being used, either with the '\' or '/' separater.

I assume the '\' may be seen as an escape, but why doesn't the url with the '/' work?

Answer 1

All below is wrong seeing as "Linking to local resources is disabled in all modern browsers due to security restrictions"

To link to a local image you use the format

<img src='file:///C:/path/to/image/pic.jpg'>

You can replace the backslashes with forward slashes using

$img = str_replace('\\', '/', $row['txtProductBowlImage']);

Now you can add the file:/// and the single quotes around the path like so

echo "<img src='file:///" . $img . "'>";

With double quotes you could skip the dot operator to append strings and use

echo "<img src='file:///$img'>";

The dollar $img will be recognized as a variable

Answer 2

It seams your trying to get a file from your local computer. So you have to run a webserver that hadle php

You might be trying to read an image where the server dont have acess.

try to place the file with your html or php file

Answer 3

OK, with JonOsterman's greatly appreciated aid, the final working code is:

    <?php
$con = mysql_connect("localhost","root","Madge1938");
if (!$con)
{
die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
}

mysql_select_db("scwdb", $con);

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM tblsplintersbowlinventory WHERE txtVenue = 'Shoreline'");

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
echo $row;
echo "<span>" . $row['intProductID'] . " " . $row['txtProductBowlCode'] . " " . $row['txtProductBowlImage'] . "</span>";
echo "<br />";
$img = $row['txtProductBowlImage'];
echo "<span> Original img: " . $img . " </span>";
$img = str_replace('\\', '/', $img);
echo "<br />";
$img = str_replace('C:/BowlPhotos/Thumbs/', 'Thumbs/', $img);
echo "<span>Folder img: " . $img . " </span>";
echo '<img src="' . $img . '">';
echo "<br />";
$img = str_replace('Thumbs/', '', $img);
echo "<span>Local img: " . $img . " </span>";
echo '<img src="' . $img . '">';
echo "<br />";
echo "<span>done</span><br />";
}

mysql_close($con);
?

There were a number of changes, but the biggest surprise was that the php could not open a folder not in the same folder or a sub folder of the php file! When I moved the entire folder to a sub of the php folder, the code above runs!

Also, as seen above, the HTML does not need a "file:///" for a local file...

And I should mention, this is intended to run only on my local server - not on the web. It is just for my own use to keep track of the wood bowls I make and sell.

Again, many thanks to Jon...