How can incorrect file paths impact the functionality of PHP scripts, and what steps can be taken to troubleshoot this issue?

Incorrect file paths can impact the functionality of PHP scripts by causing errors such as "file not found" or "permission denied". To troubleshoot this issue, ensure that the file paths in your PHP script are correct and point to the right location. You can use functions like realpath() or dirname() to get the absolute path of the file and avoid relative path issues.

// Example of using realpath() to get the absolute path of a file
$file_path = realpath('path/to/file.txt');

if ($file_path) {
    // File exists, continue with your script
} else {
    // File not found, handle the error accordingly
    echo "File not found";
}