im using php for shell scripting in redhat 6.2. compiled with 
'./configure' '--with-apxs=/usr/local/apache/bin/apxs' '--with-oci8=/usr/local/oracle'

trying to get the filetype files returns null for all entries exsept . and .. . 

-- code snippet -- 
  $dp = opendir($dir);
  if($dp){
    while (($file = readdir($dp))!== false) {
      // Skip . and .. and check for type
      // tried with this on and both here and at the start
      clearstatcache();
      print($file." - ".filetype($file)."\n");
     
      if(($file != ".") && ($file != "..") && (filetype($file) == $type)){
	$files[] = $file;
      }
    }//while
    return($files);
  }//if
  else{
    debug("The directory [$dir] was not found or couldn't be opened");
    write_log("The directory [$dir] was not found or couldn't be opened");
    return(0);
  }
-- end of snippet ---------------------------------