Alternatives to eval() or include()

Anon

Hi!

I have a problem: I have a variable containting HTML & PHP Code, that was read from a file. I want to execute the code in the variable and return the output into another variable:

e.g.:
$code = "<body><?php echo \"hello world\"; ?></body>";

the problem is that the eval() function will immediatly output the parsed code, it does not return it.

Is there a solution? I also tried to read the external file into a variable using something like that:

$AlreadyParsedCode = include("file.inc");

That doesn't work either because also include does not return anything (not correct, it returns the file size), but not the parsed code.

What can I do insted?

Thanks,
Matthias

Anon

This looks like just the thing for you.

http://www.phpbuilder.com/snippet/detail.php?type=snippet&id=209

Anon

Thanks Jason,

I downloaded the suggested snippet and tried it but the problem goes much deeper.

Everytime eval() is used (as this snippet does too) it will immediatly output parsed page, not return it. This snippet cuts out the PHP Code and returns the rest, but the cut PHP Code is evaluated immediatly, therefor it makes no difference.

I really start thinking that PHP is not capable of this special requirement (though I don't think it's that strange or seldom).

Matthias

yelvington

Do an http request for the php chunk, passing any required variables as arguments.

reagent

maybe try this (just a thought, i have not played w/ these functions yet)

ob_start();
<do-whatever-code-you-wanted-here>
$strReturnedCode = ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean(); //discards buffer

kparker

Why not

$result = file("http://.../my_original_file.php");

echo $result;

Anon

Thank you!

That worked for me. Though I still think that PHP should have an option for include() or eval() to return the parsed code, this solution does exactly what I need!!!!

Thanks again :-)
Matthias