fopen() for huge files?

Nothsa

Here's the situation. I need to print the first few lines of a big file (700mg+) using php. I can't use fopen() becuase it loads the whole file into memory or cache or wherever it puts it. Is there a different funtion I can use to just print the first few lines of the file without have to read the WHOLE file?

PS. I need something that works on Windows as well as linux, otherwise I'd just use 'exec("more file.ext");' 😉

WinterDragon

could you not just open the first parts of it?

$fp = fopen("whatever.txt", "r+");
$firstBit = fread($fp, 5000);
fclose($fp);

That would get the first 5000 from it... or...

$contents = file("whatever.txt");

if its on a line by line basis, and you can do $contents[0]; for first element in the array.

Nothsa

It's a good idea, but fopen() does something with the file that takes AGES (I assume loading it into memory) which causes the script to time out when the file is this big.

WinterDragon

did you try file() ?

suntra

Originally posted by WinterDragon
did you try file() ?

File() will open the entire file... ! So I'm sure he'll get a time out error.. !

Weedpacket

$fp = fopen('hugefile.dat','rb');
$fb = fread($fp,5000);
fclose($fp);

Didn't raise a sweat. Memory consumption wasn't much more than 2MB. Okay, so hugefile.dat was only 147MB, but the principle's still there.