PHP: fopen doesnt seems to work after using filesize()?

Question

PHP help needed for the beginner here.

I am trying to write(or append) some string to empty .txt file with if statement.
And then also opening the file but it fails due to 0 length issue.

$filename = 'sometext.txt';  //empty text file
$size = filesize($filename);
if( $size <= 0 ) {
    $handle = fopen($filename, 'a');
    fwrite($handle, 'blah blah blah...');
    fclose($handle);
}

$handle = fopen($filename, 'r');
$current = fread($handle,filesize($filename));

This wont let me write or append to $filename.
But if I comment out if statement, then it works.

Why is that happening?

Answer 1

Why do you open the file in append mode, if you know, the file doesn't contain something? You should also change your fwrite line, because you use the wrong handle

$filename = 'sometext.txt';  //empty text file
$size = filesize($filename);
if( $size <= 0 ) {
    $handle = fopen($filename, 'w');
    fwrite($handle, 'blah blah blah...');
    fclose($handle);
}

$handle = fopen($filename, 'r');
$current = fread($handle,filesize($filename));

If you want to append something to an existing file, you have to change your compare statement to >=

Answer 2

You're asking if the filesize is < or = 0. If the filesize is for example 1 Byte, you will never reach the fopen/fwrite/fclose calls in your if-section.

If you comment $size = filesize($filename) out, $size is not defined. In PHP not defined and 0 are equal and you reach the if-section. That's why it works then.

Answer 3

Try this...

$my_file = 'emptytxt.txt';
$handle = fopen($my_file, 'a') or die('Cannot open file:  '.$my_file);
$size = filesize($my_file);
$data = 'New data line 1';
if($size <= 0)
{
fwrite($handle, $data);
}
fclose($handle);