$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] OR realpath()?

[lampcms.com]

Usually I use this to define the path to directory which contains the scripts:
realpath(dirname(__FILE__))

so at the very beginning of the index.php I can put something like this:
define('SITE_PATH', realpath(dirname(__FILE__)));

Then I can use SITE_PATH inside any class anytime I need to get value of root dir, so If I need to get absolute path to 'images' directory, I would use
SITE_PATH_PATH . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'images' . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;

This works, but I saw another post where someone asked about the use of
$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']
the $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] is doing pretty much the same thing as realpath(dirname(__FILE__)) right?

Now I am wondering, when should I use realpath(dirname(__FILE__)) and when to use $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']?

Which one is the preferred way to get the path of my scripts root directory?

[Dan Grossman]

If your script is installed in its own directory, it won't be in the document root, and the two methods will return different paths.

[logic_earth]

You do not need realpath in the above code. __FILE__ returns an absolute path, not a relative path.

[Dan Grossman]

I also see realpath(dirname(__FILE__)) used by a couple frameworks in establishing the root directory in the front controller. There must be a reason for that.

[lampcms.com]

You do not need realpath in the above code. __FILE__ returns an absolute path, not a relative path.

Interesting observation. I originally copied this path translation line of code from Zend framework's tutorial here:
http://framework.zend.com/manual/en/...ssloading.html

I guess they are wrong to use it?

[logic_earth]

Zend is doing: realpath( dirname(__FILE__) . '/../library' ), Notice '/../library' is being appeneded to dirname's output before realpath? If you are just using dirname and __FILE__ realpath is surpflouse. Zend is using realpath to transform the relative path ('/../library') appended into absolute.

Edit: Well scrolling down a bit more I see it now...cannot tell you why Zend is suggesting that bit its not needed.

[lampcms.com]

Zend is doing: realpath( dirname(__FILE__) . '/../library' ), Notice '/../library' is being appeneded to dirname's output before realpath? If you are just using dirname and __FILE__ realpath is surpflouse. Zend is using realpath to transform the relative path ('/../library') appended into absolute.

Edit: Well scrolling down a bit more I see it now...cannot tell you why Zend is suggesting that bit its not needed.

Yes, in one place, but on the same page they have example with just
define('APPLICATION_PATH', realpath(dirname(__FILE__)));
I think realpath() is still necessary in case there are any symlinks in the path returned by __FILE__

[oddz]

If document root is supported that's what I would recommend using. That is if you would like a path to the site root.

[sk89q]

Symbolic links don't pose a problem. I symlink a lot of directories and relative paths / absolute paths to symlinked directories work fine.