how to generate a static html file from the output of a php script, using php

Question

I would like to generate a static html page from a php file and save it from an other php script. That script runs a bunch of echo functions, which when viewed in a browser is a nice html page. But when I run file_get_contents it opens that file as a file on the filesystem, not as a file in an url.

Do I need to call file_get_contents in a localhost/site/categories.php way? How can I get this path? This is the wrong code:

<?php
$file = file_get_contents("categories.php");
file_put_contents("categories.html", $file);
?>

mario · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-15 23:17:04Z

15

To get the finished output, you need to use the PHP url wrappers functionality and request it over the webserver. Then it's as easy as:

copy("http://localhost/site/categories.php", "categories.html");

answered Apr 15, 2011 at 23:17

mario

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2 Comments

2Noob2Good Over a year ago

Works great! :) to clarify a bit further: the second parameter must be an absolute path for example: /home/user/public_html/html_at_root.html. Something that I didn't manage to do is to pass additional parameters such as session data so I just passed them with GET method in the first parameter. I wonder if there is a better way to do this...

Imran Saleem Over a year ago

I used this function, my file get locked and lock do not open

Billy Moon · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-15 23:18:18Z

11

Yes - run file_get_contents in a localhost way - if your server is configured correctly, it will not trek off to the internet and will get your results in an efficient manner, even when hosted on your own domain name.

<?php
$file = file_get_contents("http://yourserver.com/site/categories.php");
file_put_contents("categories.html", $file);
?>

answered Apr 15, 2011 at 23:18

Billy Moon

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1 Comment

mgkrebbs Over a year ago

Works in my host's environment, whereas "copy()" approach does not, whether used with explicit domain or localhost.

jrn.ak · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-15 23:18:01Z

2

I believe you can simply:

$file = file_get_contents("http://localhost/site/categories.php");

However, the fopen wrappers must be enabled for file_get_contents() to read URLs.

answered Apr 15, 2011 at 23:18

jrn.ak

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Comments

Wes · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-15 23:19:08Z

1

I wouldn't use php to accomplish for security reasons. A better approach would be to use ssh to copy the file to the desired remote server:

php script.php | ssh you@remotehost "cp - /path/to/static/file.html

answered Apr 15, 2011 at 23:19

Wes

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Comments

Winfield Trail · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-15 23:22:07Z

0

I may be missing the point here, but it might also be an idea to include() the other PHP file and simply use it to create the output directly on demand instead of involving the webserver at all for that stage in the process.

answered Apr 15, 2011 at 23:22

Winfield Trail

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Comments

linuxgx · Accepted Answer · 2020-08-10 17:10:11Z

0

For me its being used by a webhook to create another file thats API driven. Its used to reduce the number of API requests.

answered Aug 10, 2020 at 17:10

linuxgx

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