flarum/framework · error · RuntimeException

Failed to open file at $filePath

Error message

Failed to open file at $filePath

What it means

The GDPR extension's storeExport() opens the generated export file with fopen(..., 'r') and throws a RuntimeException when fopen returns false — i.e. the file could not be opened for reading. The export data is then streamed into the user's storage disk via writeStream. The failing path is included in the message.

Solutions

1. Verify the export file exists and is readable before storing: is_file() + is_readable(), and fix generation/paths accordingly
2. Fix filesystem permissions so the PHP process user can read the file and its directory
3. Check open_basedir / disable_functions restrictions in php.ini that may block fopen on the temp path
4. Ensure the export generation step completes and returns the correct file path

Example fix

// before
$ext->storeExport($export, $tmpPath); // file missing
// after
if (!is_readable($tmpPath)) { throw new RuntimeException("Export missing: $tmpPath"); }
$ext->storeExport($export, $tmpPath);

if (!is_file($filePath) || !is_readable($filePath)) { throw new \RuntimeException("Export file missing or unreadable: $filePath"); }

try { $manager->storeExport($export, $filePath); } catch (\RuntimeException $e) { Log::error($e->getMessage()); abort(500, 'Could not store GDPR export'); }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling storeExport($export, $filePath) with a $filePath that doesn't exist, isn't readable by the PHP user, or whose directory denies access — any case where fopen returns false.

Common situations: Export generator wrote the temp file to a different tmp dir (open_basedir restrictions); permissions changed after generation; path typo or file deleted between generation and storing; safe_mode/open_basedir blocking reads on shared hosting.

Understand the failure class

Background: "open() failed", "failed to open file", "cannot create file" — what a file open error means and how to fix it — this error's family across 42 libraries.

Related errors

• Invalid erasure mode: $mode
• Erase requests cannot be confirmed by different users.
• This erasure request has already been processed.

AI-assisted analysis of flarum/framework@4b939f6853 (2026-09-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/de887463f6b6d0ff. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at extensions/gdpr/src/StorageManager.php:37

    public function __construct(protected Factory $factory)
    {
        $this->filesystem = $this->factory->disk('gdpr-export');
    }

    /**
     * Stores the export on the disk.
     *
     * @param Export $export
     * @param string $filePath
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function storeExport(Export $export, string $filePath): void
    {
        $handle = fopen($filePath, 'r');
        if ($handle === false) {
            throw new \RuntimeException("Failed to open file at $filePath");
        }

        $this->filesystem->writeStream($this->storageFilename($export), $handle);

        fclose($handle);
    }

    /**
     * @param Export $export
     *
     * @return resource|null The path resource or null on failure.
     */
    public function getStoredExport(Export $export)
    {
        return $this->filesystem->readStream($this->storageFilename($export));
    }

    /**

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