PHP - Sort files by Date?

[CVO Chris]

I have a site that contains a folder with which a client will upload images to. The web site is to display only the latest 3 images that were uploaded to the folder. I have the script below but it is showing the first 3 images in the folder in alphabetical order.

Is php able to access the date modified property or date created property of a file and sort that way?

I've never touched PHP but it has been forced upon me in the cruellest fashion. Any help would be appreciated

<?php
    $images = "advertisingExamples/thumbs/"; # Location of small versions
    $big    = "../../advertisingExamples/big/"; # Location of big versions (assumed to be a subdir of above)
    
    if ($handle = opendir($images)) {
       while (false !== ($file = readdir($handle))) {
           if ($file != "." && $file != ".." && $file != rtrim($big,"/")) {
               $files[] = $file;
           }
       }
       closedir($handle);
    }
    
--- BELOW IS THE LOOP THAT OUTPUTS THE IMAGES BUT IT IS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER ---
    $i = 0;
    foreach($files as $file)
    {
      echo '<td align="center"><a href="' . $images . $big . $file . '"><img src="' . $images . $file . '" /></a></td>';
      if (++$i == 3) break;
    }
?>

[Musicman]

Hi,

change

$files[] = $file;

into

$files[] = filemtime("$images/$file");

and then later on

--- BELOW IS THE LOOP THAT OUTPUTS THE IMAGES
arsort($files);
$i = 0;
foreach($files as $file => $mtime)

Musicman

[CVO Chris]

Thank musicman but I think something is wrong as it is now not outputting any images.

    <?php
    $images = "advertisingExamples/thumbs/"; # Location of small versions
    $big    = "../../advertisingExamples/big/"; # Location of big versions (assumed to be a subdir of above)
    
    if ($handle = opendir($images)) {
       while (false !== ($file = readdir($handle))) {
           if ($file != "." && $file != ".." && $file != rtrim($big,"/")) {
               $files[] = filemtime("$images/$file");
           }
       }
       closedir($handle);
    }
    
    arsort($files);
    $i = 0;
    foreach($files as $file => $mtime)
    {
      echo '<td align="center"><a href="' . $images . $big . $file . '"><img src="' . $images . $file . '" /></a></td>';
      if (++$i == 3) break;
    }
?>

Edit - It's outputting the following on the web page.

<td align="center">
<a href="advertisingExamples/thumbs/../../advertisingExamples/big/5">
<img src="advertisingExamples/thumbs/5" /></a></td><td align="center">
<a href="advertisingExamples/thumbs/../../advertisingExamples/big/4">
<img src="advertisingExamples/thumbs/4" /></a></td><td align="center">
<a href="advertisingExamples/thumbs/../../advertisingExamples/big/3">
<img src="advertisingExamples/thumbs/3" /></a>
</td>

For some reason the filenames are numbers (5, 4 and 3). Also the folders are wrong. It should output:

<td align="center">
<a href="advertisingExamples/advertisingExamples/big/newest.jpg">
<img src="advertisingExamples/thumbs/newest.jpg" /></a></td><td align="center">
<a href="advertisingExamples/advertisingExamples/big/2ndnew.jpg">
<img src="advertisingExamples/thumbs/2ndnew.jpg" /></a></td><td align="center">
<a href="advertisingExamples/advertisingExamples/big/oldest.jpg">
<img src="advertisingExamples/thumbs/oldest.jpg" /></a></td>

[Musicman]

Hi,

sorry, should have been

$files[$file] = filemtime("$images/$file");

Musicman

[CVO Chris]

Works perfectly. Thanks for your time and expertise