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# dir

dir -- directory class

## Description

     class dir {

      dir(string directory);
      string path;
      resource handle;

      string read();
      void rewind();
      void close();
    }

A pseudo-object oriented mechanism for reading a directory. The given `directory` is opened. Two properties are available once the directory has been opened. The handle property can be used with other directory functions such as readdir(), rewinddir() and closedir(). The path property is set to path the directory that was opened. Three methods are available: read, rewind and close.

Please note the fashion in which dir()'s return value is checked in the example below. We are explicitly testing whether the return value is identical to (equal to and of the same type as--see Comparison Operators for more information) `FALSE` since otherwise, any directory entry whose name evaluates to `FALSE` will stop the loop.

Example 1. dir() example

    $d = dir("/etc");
    echo "Handle: ".$d->handle."<br>\n";
    echo "Path: ".$d->path."<br>\n";
    while (false !== ($entry = $d->read())) {
        echo $entry."<br>\n";
    }
    $d->close();

> Note: The order in which directory entries are returned by the read method is system-dependent.

> Note: This defines the internal class Directory, meaning that you will not be able to define your own classes with that name. For a full list of predefined classes in PHP, please see Predefined Classes.

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