PHP scan directory and array

Question

I have a script that scans a folder and put in an array the file names it contains. Then I shuffle the array and display the file names.

Like this:

$count=0;
$ar=array();
$i=1;
$g=scandir('./images/');

foreach($g as $x)
{
    if(is_dir($x))$ar[$x]=scandir($x);
    else 
    { 
        $count++;
        $ar[]=$x;   
    }
}
shuffle($ar);

while($i <= $count)
{
    echo $ar[$i-1];
    $i++;
}
?>

It works well but for some reason I get something like this:

• fff.jpg
• ccc.jpg
• Array
• nnn.jpg
• ttt.jpg
• sss.jpg
• bbb.jpg
• Array
• eee.jpg

Of course, the order changes when I refresh the page because of the shuffle I did but among 200 filenames I always get these 2 "Array" somewhere in the list.

What could it be?

Thank you

Answer 1

Just to explain the part wherein it gives you the Array.

First off, scandir returns the following:

Returns an array of files and directories from the directory.

From that return values, it returned this (this is an example, for reference):

Array
(
    [0] => . // current directory
    [1] => .. // parent directory
    [2] => imgo.jpg
    [3] => logo.png
    [4] => picture1.png
    [5] => picture2.png
    [6] => picture3.png
    [7] => picture4.png
)

Those dots right there are actually folders. Right now in your code logic, when it hits/iterate this spot:

if(is_dir($x))$ar[$x]=scandir($x); // if its a directory
// invoke another set of scandir into this directory, then append it into the array

Thats why your resultant array has mixed strings, and that another extra/unneeded scandir array return values from ..

A dirty quick fix could be used in order to avoid those. Just skip the dots:

foreach($g as $x)
{
    // skip the dots
    if(in_array($x, array('..', '.'))) continue;
    if(is_dir($x))$ar[$x]=scandir($x);
    else
    {
        $count++;
        $ar[]=$x;
    }
}

Another alternative is to use DirectoryIterator:

$path = './images/';
$files = new DirectoryIterator($path);
$ar = array();
foreach($files as $file) {
    if(!$file->isDot()) {
        // if its not a directory
        $ar[] = $file->getFilename();
    }
}

echo '<pre>', print_r($ar, 1);