How to Use the File Function in PHP

The file function in PHP reads a file into an array and returns the array. You should use file_get_contents instead if you would like the contents of the file returned as a string. The following steps will help you use the file function in PHP.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Learn the syntax. The complete syntax of file is: array file (string $filename [, int $flags [, resource $context]]).
   

2. Use the $filename parameter to specify the file path. It can be a URL if you have enabled the fopen wrappers. The protocol/wrappers that the file function supports include FTP, FTPS, HTTP and HTTPS. You can also use the file function to establish PHP input/output streams, compression streams and audio streams.

3. Specify the behavior of the file function with the optional $flag parameter. The FILE_BINARY constant will cause the file function to read the file content as binary data. FILE_IGNORE_NEW_LINES will prevent the file function from adding a newline character. FILE_SKIP_EMPTY_LINES will skip empty lines. FILE_TEXT will return the file content in UTF-8 encoding. FILE_USE_INCLUDE_PATH will cause the file function to look in the include path for the file.

4. Refer to context resource with the $context parameter. You may create this resource with the stream_context_create function.

5. Look at the following examples of the file function:
   $lines = file('http://www.test.com/');
   // read the web page test.com into an array.;
   $html = implode('', file('http://www.test.com/'));
   // read the web page test.com into a string;
   $trimmed = file('temp.txt', FILE_IGNORE_NEW_LINES | ;
   FILE_SKIP_EMPTY_LINES);
   // read the file temp.txt into an array but do not add any newline characters;
   // and skip empty lines.;

Resources

• Learn more about programming in PHP.