getting a file from outside the document root. PHP

Question

I am currently storing docx files and pdf files in a user upload folder outside the doc root. I intend for these files to be downloaded via a db link to the heavily scrambled file name.

Previously I have only obtained data from files outside the root with PHP - is it possible to retrieve whole files from this area and if so how does one go about it.

Answer 1

<?php

$file_id = $_GET['id'];

$local_path = get_real_filelocation_from_id($file_id);

readfile($local_path);

The code for get_real_filelocation_from_id() is left as an exercise for the OP.