| Examples | Function | Syntax |
|---|---|---|
To create text files |
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| Example 1 | fopen(): To create a file for writing to or reading from (opens a stream). Use with fclose. | $file = fopen(filename, mode); //see p. 259 for available modes |
| fwrite(): To write strings incrementally to a file created with fopen. How the data is written depends on the mode used in fopen (e.g. replaces or appends existing data). | fwrite($file, data[, length]); | |
| Example 2 | file_put_contents(): To create and write entire file as string. Does not require fopen. If the file exists, any data it contains is overwritten. | $filestring = file_put_contents(filename, string[, options]); //available in version 5; see p. 268 for available options |
To read an entire text file |
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| Example 3 | APPLICABLE TO UNIT 4 PROJECT file(): To read the file into an indexed array. Best when the array needs sorting. Create the file with fopen fwrite, and fclose. |
$array = file(filename[, use_include_path]); |
| Example 4 | file_get_contents(): To read the file into a string. Not useful when dealing with arrays. Good to use with file_put_contents for reading and displaying basic strings. | $filestring = file_get_contents(filename[, use_include_path]); |
| fread(): To read the contents of a file into a string up to a maximum number of bytes. | $filestring = fread(filename, length); | |
| readfile(): To print the contents of a file. Limited use functionally. | $filestring = readfile(filename[, use_include_path]); | |
To read a text file incrementally - used with fopen/fclose |
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| fgetc(): To return a single character and move the file pointer to the next character. | $string = fgetc(filename); | |
| fgetcsv(): To return a line, parse the line on a specified delimiter (normally comma separated values - CSV) and move the pointer to the next line. | $string = fgetcsv(filename, length[, delimiter, string_enclosure]); | |
| fgets(): To return a line and move the pointer to the next line. | $string = fgets(filename[, length]); | |
| fgetss(): To returns a line, strip HTML tags, and move the pointer to the next line. | $string = fgetss(filename, length[, allowed_tags]); | |
| stream_get_line: To return a line that ends with a specified delimiter and move the file pointer to the next line. | $string = stream_get_line(filename, length, delimiter); | |
To close a stream created with fopen |
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| fclose() | fclose(filename); |