replacing the old HTML user guide with a Sphinx-managed user guide
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+###########
+Path Helper
+###########
+
+The Path Helper file contains functions that permits you to work with
+file paths on the server.
+
+.. contents:: Page Contents
+
+Loading this Helper
+===================
+
+This helper is loaded using the following code
+
+::
+
+ $this->load->helper('path');
+
+The following functions are available:
+
+set_realpath()
+==============
+
+Checks to see if the path exists. This function will return a server
+path without symbolic links or relative directory structures. An
+optional second argument will cause an error to be triggered if the path
+cannot be resolved.
+
+::
+
+ $directory = '/etc/passwd';
+ echo set_realpath($directory); // returns "/etc/passwd"
+ $non_existent_directory = '/path/to/nowhere';
+ echo set_realpath($non_existent_directory, TRUE); // returns an error, as the path could not be resolved
+ echo set_realpath($non_existent_directory, FALSE); // returns "/path/to/nowhere"
+
+