DIRECTORY Binding

What is the @DIRECTORY Binding?¶

The DIRECTORY binding reads the contents of a directory. This can really useful when you tie it into a List control widget, e.g. if you want to do something like give the user a list of logo images to choose for a page, or choose which mp3 file plays on a particular page. REMEMBER: it returns ALL contents of a directory, including all files and all directories - with the sole exception of directories prefixed with a period.

Usage¶

When you create a Template Variable, place the following text into the Input Option Values box:

@DIRECTORY /path/to/some_directory

Frequently, this is coupled with an Input Type of "DropDown List Menu" to allow the user to select a file from the list.

In MODX Revolution, the path used for the @DIRECTORY binding is relative to the site's root. It is not an absolute file path. If you want to list files above your site's root, you must use the ".." syntax, e.g. @DIRECTORY /../dir_above_root This binding will work with or without a trailing slash in the directory name.

If you are using the @DIRECTORY binding for your template variable [[*myTV]], you can easily imagine that your template code could have some stuff in it like:

<img src="[[*myTV]]" alt="" />

Additional Info¶

Can you filter which files are selected? E.g. using *.jpg? The following DOES NOT WORK:

@DIRECTORY /list/*.jpg  # doesn't work!

There are PHP code snippets out there that emulate this functionality. See the following forum thread: https://forums.modx.com/index.php/topic,3124.0.html

Security¶

Depending on how the file is used on the page, it may pose a security risk. Be careful if you were using this binding to select JavaScript files to be executed. What if a user had the ability to upload (and thus execute) a JavaScript file? Also, always be wary of letting users see your directory structure.

See Also¶

• Template Variables
• Bindings