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PHP fread() Function


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Definition and Usage

The fread() reads from an open file.

The function will stop at the end of the file or when it reaches the specified length, whichever comes first.

This function returns the read string, or FALSE on failure.

Syntax

fread(file,length)

Parameter Description
file Required. Specifies the open file to read from
length Required. Specifies the maximum number of bytes to read

Tips and Notes

Tip: This function is binary-safe (meaning that both binary data, like images, and character data can be written with this function).


Example 1

Read 10 bytes from file:

<?php
$file = fopen("test.txt","r");
fread($file,"10");
fclose($file);
?>

Example 2

Read entire file:

<?php
$file = fopen("test.txt","r");
fread($file,filesize("test.txt"));
fclose($file);
?>

< Complete PHP Filesystem Reference