setting text files as variables

Anon

hi, i need to include a file and set that as a variable. smt like this:

$a=include(\"file.txt\");

of course it\'s not working 🙂 but i really need smt like that.

any help? idea? etc?

toma42

$a = implode('', file('file.txt'));

echo $a;

will set $a to the contents then echo out the contents in the same way include('file.txt') would.

[deleted]

Uhmm... that will open a file, read it line by line into an array, then loop throught the array an stick all the elements together, erasing the newlines along the way.

Better use the proper method:

// get contents of a file into a string
$filename = "/usr/local/something.txt";
$fd = fopen ($filename, "r");
$contents = fread ($fd, filesize ($filename));
fclose ($fd);

Copied 1:1 from the manual

http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.fread.php

toma42

I'll check that out...good chance my head isn't screwed on right today.
So
implode("\n", file())

would work then, I suspect. Personally I prefer this one line method 'cause it's puts the same functionality that fopen etc implemnents on just one line instead of 3 or so.

[deleted]

Ya, it does do the same thing in just one line, but it does a TON of completely useless tasks.

I know modern computer have fast CPU's, but is that a reason to start wasting cycles? 🙂

[deleted]

Just FYI:
the implode(file()) method takes three times as long as the fread method.

Anon

is there any way to retreive a remote document easily, such as a generated XML document (one that won't return anything useful for filesize()) without displaying the entire thing on the screen?

toma42

Cool, thanks for benchmarking that.

I seldom use the method I suggested ('cause I seldom read from files) but I think it is still a good trick to keep in your arsenal.

e.g. it's fun to take a 25 line block of someone elses code and watch their face as I drop it down to 5 🙂

Anon

nevermind, it was right there under my nose.

[deleted]

the implode method is a nice trick, but it's hopelessly bloated for this purpose.