PHP file_get_contents function

file_get_contents

(PHP 4 >= 4.3.0, PHP 5)

file_get_contents — Reads entire file into a stringDescriptionstring file_get_contents ( string filename [, bool use_include_path [, resource context [, int offset [, int maxlen]]]] )

Identical to file(), except that
file_get_contents() returns the file in a string,
starting at the specified offset up to
maxlen bytes.
On failure, file_get_contents() will return FALSE.

file_get_contents() is the preferred way to read the
contents of a file into a string. It will use memory mapping techniques if
supported by your OS to enhance performance.

Note:
If you’re opening a URI with special characters, such as spaces, you
need to encode the URI with urlencode().

Note:
context parameter can be skipped by NULL.

ChangeLog

VersionDescription5.0.0 Added the context support.
5.1.0 Added the offset and
maxlen parameters.

Notes

Note: This function is
binary-safe.

Tip: You can use a URL as a
filename with this function if the fopen wrappers have been enabled.
See fopen() for more details on how to specify
the filename and Appendix N for a list of supported
URL protocols.

Note: Context support was added
with PHP 5.0.0. For a description of contexts, refer to
Reference CLVIII, Stream Functions.

Warning

When using SSL, Microsoft IIS
will violate the protocol by closing the connection without sending a
close_notify indicator. PHP will report this as “SSL: Fatal Protocol Error”
when you reach the end of the data. To workaround this, you should lower your
error_reporting level not to include warnings.
PHP 4.3.7 and higher can detect buggy IIS server software when you open
the stream using the https:// wrapper and will suppress the warning for you.
If you are using fsockopen() to create an ssl:// socket,
you are responsible for detecting and suppressing the warning yourself.

See Also

file()fgets()fread()readfile()file_put_contents()stream_get_contents()stream_context_create()