What is the impact of setting safe_mode to ON in PHP on the functionality of the chmod command in scripts?

Setting safe_mode to ON in PHP restricts the ability of scripts to execute certain commands, including the chmod command, which is used to change file permissions. This can prevent scripts from properly modifying file permissions, potentially causing issues with file access and functionality. To work around this limitation, you can use the PHP function `chmod()` instead of directly executing the chmod command in scripts. This function allows you to change file permissions within the constraints of safe_mode, ensuring that your scripts can still manage file permissions effectively.

<?php
$filename = 'example.txt';
$permissions = 0644;

if (function_exists('chmod')) {
    chmod($filename, $permissions);
    echo "File permissions changed successfully.";
} else {
    echo "Unable to change file permissions. chmod function is not available.";
}
?>