Reading files from a different computer

[Claus Mygind]

Using the sample script from the php manual

<?php
$dir = "/etc/php5/";
 
// Open a known directory, and proceed to read its contents
if (is_dir($dir)) {
    if ($dh = opendir($dir)) {
        while (($file = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
            echo "filename: $file : filetype: " . filetype($dir . $file) . "\n";
        }
        closedir($dh);
    }
}
?>
 

I can read files on the web server. But I would like to read files from a different computer on our network (that is not set up as a server).

I am using php version 5.3.3.0

Are there setting in the php.ini files that I must change? Or what else do I need to do.

[nathj]

I think that the second server will need to be set up to allow some sort of connection. Possibly an open port or even set it up as a webserver that can then be accessed.

I've never deon this with PHP but has seen many systems developed in Java do just this usin a separate fileserver. However, the architecture side of things has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Do you have any network guys there who can help with this as I think the issue is network rather than php.

[Claus Mygind]

Thank you for your response. Actually you do not have to have another server. I finally figured it out.

1. On the computer you want to access you simply set up an account and pass word with the UAC (user account control) found in the window's control panel.

2. The user account and password is the name of the computer you use as your web server and the password you use to log into the web server.

3. On the web server you (IMPORTANT!) run your web server as a service and voila there you have it.

4. You can now read the files on the other computer. You can access the remote computer using the format below(pay attention to the slashes).

<?php
 
$cDir = "//remote computer's name/drive/folder/";
 
if(!$dh = @opendir($cDir)) return;
 
while (false !== ($obj = readdir($dh))) {
 
   echo "filename: $obj : filetype: " . filetype($cDir . $obj) . "<br />";
 
}
 
closedir($dh);
 
?>