PHP ftp_get failed to open stream when trying to download file - php

Question

I'm trying to make the browser download a file from an FTP server, but whatever I try, I'm getting this error:
Warning: ftp_get(taak4.docx) [function.ftp-get]: failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/jamesmr117/domains/notepark.be/public_html/classes/taak.php on line 231
Warning: ftp_get() [function.ftp-get]: Error opening taak4.docx in /home/jamesmr117/domains/notepark.be/public_html/classes/taak.php on line 231
I am however 100% sure my FTP server is working fine, as uploading files works correctly. I also set every folder to chmod 777. Does anyone know what the problem might be?
My php code:
$local_file="taak4.dockx";
$server_file="taak4.dockx";
ftp_get($FTPClient->connectionId, $local_file, $server_file, FTP_BINARY);
Thanks in advance !

Answer 1

you must specify the full path to the file. For example:
/var/home/victor/files/taak4.dockx
Use $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] for get document root dir path.

Answer 2

You need to have write permission on the $local_file path. Make it a full path. Example: chmod 777 /test and make $local_file be like /test/taak4.docx.

Answer 3

I was also suffering from this issue even after changing the file permissions on my remote server i was not able to download it on my local server:
Warning: ftp_get(): Can't open Capture.PNG: No such file or directory in C:\MAMP\htdocs\ftp.php on line 25
SOLUTION:
One must include '/' before writing any path in the $server_file variable so the whole example that works just perfect is here:
// This is the path and new file name on my server (name can be different from the remote server file )
// if i want to save it just where my current php file is running ,no need to enter any path just file name
$local_file = 'capture.png';
// This is the path and file name on my Remote server from which i am downloading from
// this should start with '/' and write 'public_html' or 'htdocs' afterwards
$server_file = '/public_html/Capture.PNG';
// ftp details
$ftp_server="example.host.com";
$ftp_user_name="username";
$ftp_user_pass="password";
// set up basic connection
$conn_id = ftp_connect($ftp_server);
// login with username and password
$login_result = ftp_login($conn_id, $ftp_user_name, $ftp_user_pass);
// This is to so that we do not time out
ftp_pasv($conn_id, true);
// try to download $server_file and save to $local_file
if (ftp_get($conn_id, $local_file, $server_file, FTP_BINARY)) {
echo "Successfully written to $local_file\n";
} else {
echo "There was a problem\n";
}
// close the connection
ftp_close($conn_id);