No error when creating zip, but it doesn't get created

Question

I wrote this code to create a ZIP file and to save it. But somehow it just doesn't show any error, but it doesn't create a ZIP file either. Here's the code:

$zip = new ZipArchive;
$time = microtime(true);
$res = $zip->open("maps/zips/test_" . $time . ".zip", ZipArchive::CREATE);
if ($res === TRUE) {
    echo "RESULT TRUE...";
    $zip->addFile("maps/filename.ogz","filename.ogz"); //Sauerbraten map format
    $zip->addFromString('how_to_install.txt', 'Some Explanation...');
    $zip->close();
    $zip_created = true;
    echo "FILE ADDED!";
}

What am I doing wrong, and how can I fix it?

Are the `RESULT TRUE` and `FILE ADDED` output? Are you looking in the right folder? Do you have error reporting enabled? questions, questions :P — PeeHaa, Jan 10 '11 at 20:39
Have you checked that PHP has write access to that directory? — alexn, Jan 10 '11 at 20:40
Nooo! :D alexn was right! The script had not enough access rights... thx for solving. I'd mark as correct answer if you'll post it shortly...? — Florian Müller, Jan 10 '11 at 20:43
In some cases (or) `\ZipArchive::CREATE | \ZipArchive::OVERWRITE` is a solution. — Evgeniy Tkachenko, Jul 27 '17 at 07:43

score 16 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 10 '11 at 20:42

16

Probably apache or php has not got permissions to create zip archives in that directory. From one of the comments on ZipArchice::open:

If the directory you are writing or saving into does not have the correct permissions set, you won't get any error messages and it will look like everything worked fine... except it won't have changed!

Instead make sure you collect the return value of ZipArchive::close(). If it is false... it didn't work.

Add an else clause to your if statement and dump $res to see the results:

if($res === TRUE) {
    ...
} else {
    var_dump($res);
}

answered Jan 10 '11 at 20:42

alexn

57,867
14
111
145

2

Ran into this issue at some point. Checking with is_writable() beforehand also helps.. in PHP it really helps to do that before just about any write, just to make sure. – kander Jan 10 '11 at 20:43
@alexn I made sure I have write permissions to my directories, however the close() method gives me FALSE. How should I do? Other than permissions, is there any other possibilities? – Nov 16 '16 at 15:12

score 12 · Answer 2 · edited Jan 23 '13 at 17:53

12

There are 2 cases when zip doesn't generate the error.

Make sure every file you are adding to the zip is valid. Even if one file is not available when
zip->close is called then the archive will fail and your zip file won't be created.
If your folder doesn't have write permissions zip will not report the error. It will finish but nothing will be created.

edited Jan 23 '13 at 17:53

Renjith K N

2,613
2
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answered Jan 23 '13 at 17:30

user1720209

121
1
2

1

Great! in my case, I need to delete two DB dumps after adding to ZIP, si I deleted them just after the "$zip->addFile(...", so when $zip->close() was called It failed!, Now I'm testing if $zip->close() returns true, if so, then I delete the DB dumps. – razor7 Jun 01 '16 at 16:48
Thanks, your option 1 fixed my issue! – TVA van Hesteren Mar 25 '17 at 15:18

score 10 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 21 '14 at 20:02

I had an exactly same issue, even when with full writing/reading permissions.

Solved by creating the ".zip" file manually before passing it to ZipArchive:

$zip = new ZipArchive;
$time = microtime(true);
$path = "maps/zips/test_" . $time . ".zip"

touch($path);  //<--- this line creates the file

$res = $zip->open($path, ZipArchive::CREATE);
if ($res === TRUE) {
    echo "RESULT TRUE...";
    $zip->addFile("maps/filename.ogz","filename.ogz"); //Sauerbraten map format
    $zip->addFromString('how_to_install.txt', 'Some Explanation...');
    $zip->close();
    $zip_created = true;
    echo "FILE ADDED!";
}

I saw this behaviour too but when using $zip->open($file, ZipArchive::OVERWRITE). Using a touch just felt wrong, found a comment at http://php.net/manual/en/ziparchive.open.php by eric at webdeveric dot com, which suggested $zip->open($file, ZipArchive::CREATE | ZipArchive::OVERWRITE), which works - for both creating or overwriting. — Anthony, Jul 18 '16 at 11:05

Pascal Messana · Answer 4 · 2013-04-24T08:48:29.190

Check out that each of your file exists before calling $zip->addFile otherwise the zip won't be generated and no error message will be displayed.

if(file_exists($fichier->url))
{
    if($zip->addFile($fichier->url,$fichier->nom))
    {
        $erreur_ouverture = false;
    }
    else
    {
        $erreur_ouverture = true;
        echo 'Open error : '.$fichier->url;
    }
}
else
{
    echo 'File '.$fichier->url.' not found';
}

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 23 '17 at 05:46

1

One of the reasons for zip file is not created is due to missing check if you are adding file and not a directory.

if (!$file->isDir())

I found the solution here.

answered Aug 23 '17 at 05:46

Vinaykumar Patel

864
11
26

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Jan 10 '11 at 20:42

1

break it into steps.

if ($res === TRUE) {

  check if file_exist

check if addFile give any error
}

if($zip->close())
{
 $zip_created = true; 
    echo "FILE ADDED!"
}

Check the phpinfo for zip is enabled or not :)

answered Jan 10 '11 at 20:42

zod

12,092
24
70
106

No error when creating zip, but it doesn't get created

6 Answers6

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