Echo the ending part or last folder of $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] in PHP

Question

I need to use $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']; to scandir for files and folders to display for my nav menu.

Let's say my root directory is at /home/user/public_html/website/.

Here's how I echo the root directory:

echo $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'];

it will display /home/user/public_html/website/

Here's how I echo a folder in the root directory:

echo $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'about/';

it will display /home/user/public_html/website/about/

Question: How can I strip everything that it displays all the way up to the root folder and/or sub-folder.

Example: If I echo $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'], I want it to display as / instead of the entire /home/user/public_html/website/ path.

and if I echo a sub-folder I want it to display as /about/ instead of /home/user/public_html/website/about/.

So, how can I get it to echo just the ending part of the $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']; instead of the entire directory path?

I've tried dirname and basename but neither of those does what I need. I've thought of string replace but isn't there something much easier to add onto $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] that will just echo out the root folder or root folder plus sub-folder?

Update:

I ended up using the answer below from anant kumar singh but tweaking it using preg_split instead of explode because preg_split can take multiple string delimiters where as explode can take only 1.

$newArray = preg_split( " (-in/|-ca/|-co/) ", dirname($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']) );
if(count($newArray)>1){
    echo '/'.$newArray[1].'/';
    }else{
        echo '/';
    }

If you know of a better way to accomplish what I'm trying to do, please post your answers below.

Ya I've tried lots of things so far, but can't find anything yet. dirname, basename. Is there something else out there besides these two? — Mike, May 05 '15 at 21:07
^ 1. Add your attempts/work into your question! 2. Take a look at `explode()` — Rizier123, May 05 '15 at 21:09
it's confusing. once you say ending part of document root and on the other side you say that for root folder you want to display /? can you please differentiate it? and you wan to just echo it or gona use for some other purpose? — Serving Quarantine period, May 05 '15 at 21:11
as apposed to echoing the full path `/home/user/public_html/website/` where /website/ is the folder of the root, I instead want to echo out `/` which is the last trailing slash after the folder website. But if I'm echoing out a sub-directory like the about page `/home/user/public_html/website/about/`, I instead want it to display as `/about/`. — Mike, May 05 '15 at 21:15
So why not simply use the single `/`? Basically what you're writing means `$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']` should stand for a constant `/`?! Then simply use that. As in: `echo '/about/';` — Yoshi, May 06 '15 at 06:44
it is not that simple. I have to use `$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']`. I can't echo `/` because it has to come from `$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']` not my own string. — Mike, May 06 '15 at 06:46
well then `$x = substr($yourStringIncludingDocRoot, strlen($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']) - 1);` But still I don't get it. The way you use it (even if forced) is fully redundant this way. — Yoshi, May 06 '15 at 06:48
The reason I need to use it is because I'm using a navigation menu based on directory. The script is included on each page. It creates the menu nav with the tabs. Each tab represents each folder in the root directory. If I use `../` instead of `$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']`, then the linking will not be correct on the menu if inside a sub-folder. If you want to see the full script let me know and I'll create a fiddle to show you. I'm sure it is not the best way to do it and perhaps you can critique it. — Mike, May 06 '15 at 07:17
If you can provide a semi-runnable sample, I'll have a look at it. — Yoshi, May 06 '15 at 07:59

Serving Quarantine period · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-06T06:05:45.393

1

You can go with explode in the following manner:--

$newArray = explode('website/',$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']);
 if(count($newArray)>1){
   echo "/".$newArray[1];
}else{
    echo '/';
}

As you already said that preg_split is done the job for you:-

$newArray = preg_split( " (-in/|-ca/|-co/) ", dirname($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']) ); if(count($newArray)>1){ echo "/".$newArray[1]."/"; }else{ echo '/'; }

NOTE:- Don't be panic.I am not going to take your credit. I just did it for the future peoples purpose. If you put it as an answer then i will remove it.

edited May 06 '15 at 06:05

answered May 05 '15 at 21:23

Serving Quarantine period

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I tweaked your answer a bit and used preg_split as I need to explode on more than one delimiter. – Mike May 05 '15 at 22:21
you can put your answer here and marked that. it will help others to find ther solution. – Serving Quarantine period May 05 '15 at 22:27
I tweaked your answer a bit because explode can not take more than 1 string delimiter but preg_split can take multiple. `$newArray = preg_split( " (-in/|-ca/|-co/) ", dirname($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']) ); if(count($newArray)>1){ echo "/".$newArray[1]."/"; }else{ echo '/'; }` – Mike May 06 '15 at 01:21

Echo the ending part or last folder of $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] in PHP

1 Answers1