Execute a PHP file, and return the result as a string

Question

Let's assume I have the following file - template.php:

<?php $string = 'Hello World!'; ?>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>Test Page!</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1><?= $string; ?></h1>
        <p>You should see something above this line</p>
    </body>
</html>

I'm aware that I can use file_get_contents() to get the contents of the file as a string, which I can then manipulate as I require. However, file_get_contents() doesn't execute PHP statements.

I have successfully used cURL to get access to the rendered version of the file, but it seems rather slow and clunky, adding quite a fair amount of time to the execution of the page - which I would imagine is due to a DNS lookup being performed.

So, how can I get the contents of template.php into a string - while having usable PHP there?

you mean file_get_contents() right?

Alix Axel
– Alix Axel

2009-11-05 22:02:40 +00:00
Commented Nov 5, 2009 at 22:02 — Alix Axel
– Alix Axel, Commented Nov 5, 2009 at 22:02

bisko · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-05 21:32:32Z

44

This should do it:

ob_start();
include('template.php');
$returned = ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean();

answered Nov 5, 2009 at 21:32

bisko

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4 Comments

Toby Allen Over a year ago

Watch out though as since the file is being included & not executed on it's own you might get funny behaviour.

bisko Over a year ago

Including the file scans it and if there is PHP inside, it's executed like if called stand-alone. If that's not what you mean, then could you be more specific?

joshperry Over a year ago

I think what he is trying to say is to be careful, if the php file you are executing has any side-effects it could mutate the state of your application even though it is not sending output to the browser.

Pierre Over a year ago

if the included file has die() or exit; inside it, it will stop further execution

Ryan Brunner · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-05 21:34:33Z

3

If you don't need to do this within PHP, you could execute a php script from the command line, and pipe it to a text file, like so:

php -f phpFile.php > output.html

answered Nov 5, 2009 at 21:34

Ryan Brunner

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1 Comment

EvilChookie Over a year ago

While this isn't the right answer, it is definitely helpful to know in the future.

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