Why is it whenever I use scandir() I receive periods at the beginning of the array?

Question

Array
(
    [0] => .
    [1] => ..
    [2] => bar.php
    [3] => foo.txt
    [4] => somedir
)
Array
(
    [0] => somedir
    [1] => foo.txt
    [2] => bar.php
    [3] => ..
    [4] => .
)

score 126 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 20 '11 at 14:36

126

There are two entries present in every directory listing:

. refers to the current directory
.. refers to the parent directory (or the root, if the current directory is the root)

You can remove them from the results by filtering them out of the results of scandir:

$allFiles = scandir(__DIR__); // Or any other directory
$files = array_diff($allFiles, array('.', '..'));

answered Aug 20 '11 at 14:36

phihag

278,196
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17

Nice. This can also be condensed into one line: `$files = array_diff(scandir(__DIR__), array('.', '..'));` (see http://www.electrictoolbox.com/php-scandir-find-files/). – SharpC Aug 18 '15 at 14:43
1

I would like to note that, should you care about the indexing of $files, Dan Bray's answer is definitely worth looking at. I only wish I had scrolled down another half page earlier! – donutguy640 Jun 10 '19 at 14:11

score 31 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 20 '11 at 14:36

31

Those are the current (.) and parent (..) directories. They are present in all directories, and are used to refer to the directory itself and its direct parent.

answered Aug 20 '11 at 14:36

Mat

202,337
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score 13 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 01 '17 at 12:46

13

To remove . and .. from scandir use this function:

function scandir1($dir)
{
    return array_values(array_diff(scandir($dir), array('..', '.')));
}

The array_values command re-indexes the array so that it starts from 0. If you don't need the array re-indexing, then the accepted answer will work fine. Simply: array_diff(scandir($dir), array('..', '.')).

answered Sep 01 '17 at 12:46

Dan Bray

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1

holy cow, why did I not scroll down more, earlier? this is exactly what I was looking for! – donutguy640 Jun 10 '19 at 14:07

score 8 · Answer 4 · edited Oct 21 '18 at 07:36

8

In one line of code:

$files=array_slice(scandir('/path/to/directory/'), 2);

edited Oct 21 '18 at 07:36

Unheilig

16,196
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98

answered Oct 21 '18 at 07:16

joash

2,205
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26
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2

This can cause problems if you have other files which are sorted before `.` and `..`. It's quite uncommon, as I think only `-` sorts before `.` and is valid in a filename, but it's worth remembering. – Steen Schütt Oct 22 '19 at 06:51

score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 20 '11 at 14:36

3

In Unix convention . is a link to the current directory while .. is a link to the parent directory. Both of them exist as a file in the directory index.

answered Aug 20 '11 at 14:36

Jeremy

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2

Can you quote a source that says this is a UNIX convention? DOS and Windows have `.` and `..` too, don't they? – phihag Aug 20 '11 at 14:38
3

Windows has those too, it's not specific to Unix. – Mat Aug 20 '11 at 14:38
1

It's a Unix convention; that doesn't prevent it from being a DOS and Windows convention too. – Keith Thompson Aug 20 '11 at 14:41
OK I would take that back. Both Windows and Unix use that convention. I only have the perception that most PHP server runs on Unix-based systems. – Jeremy Aug 20 '11 at 14:47

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 19 '21 at 13:47

1

another one-line code solution to filter dots out

$files = array_filter(scandir($directory), function($file) {return strlen($file) > 2;});

answered Oct 19 '21 at 13:47

Nikita Bulanakov

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8

Why is it whenever I use scandir() I receive periods at the beginning of the array?

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