# Is it possible for php to check for file on users computers?

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783>\
**Category:** programming\
**Created:** [March 3, 2006, 11:38am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783 "2006-03-03T11:38:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nathan99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/96bed5/32.png) [@nathan99](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/nathan99)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 11:38am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783/1 "2006-03-03T11:38:49Z")

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as title says: Is it possible for php to check for file on users computers?

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**Author:** ![jerez\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc79bd/32.png) [@jerez\_z](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/jerez_z)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783/2 "2006-03-23T18:19:23Z")

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its not possible. PHP is wholly client side and the only time it ever even comes close to interacting with the client side is during a form and that is only communicating with the browser and information the browser sends. so no.

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**Author:** ![Jeff\_Wheeler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/59ef9b/32.png) [@Jeff\_Wheeler](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Jeff_Wheeler)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783/3 "2006-03-24T00:25:31Z")

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Err… I think you mean PHP’s server side, not client-side. 😉

And no, it’s not possible. It’d be a huge security concern.

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**Author:** ![SlowRoasted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@SlowRoasted](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/SlowRoasted)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783/4 "2006-03-24T15:16:08Z")

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But php can check for the presence of cookies right?

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**Author:** ![Jeff\_Wheeler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/59ef9b/32.png) [@Jeff\_Wheeler](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Jeff_Wheeler)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783/5 "2006-03-25T01:49:50Z")

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Yes. It’s in the super-global array $\_COOKIE…

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**Author:** ![krilnon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/krilnon/32/34_2.png) [@krilnon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/krilnon)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783/6 "2006-03-25T18:46:48Z")

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It is just requesting to see if there are any, your computer doesn’t have to respond to its request.

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**Author:** ![hl1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/hl1/32/849_2.png) [@hl1](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/hl1)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 9:26pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-possible-for-php-to-check-for-file-on-users-computers/180783/7 "2006-03-25T21:26:11Z")

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Indirectly you can of course 😉