How do I capture PHP output into a variable?
PhpXmlPhp Problem Overview
I'm generating a ton of XML that is to be passed to an API as a post variable when a user click on a form button. I also want to be able to show the user the XML before hand.
The code is sorta like the following in structure:
<?php
$lots of = "php";
?>
<xml>
<morexml>
<?php
while(){
?>
<somegeneratedxml>
<?php } ?>
<lastofthexml>
<?php ?>
<html>
<pre>
The XML for the user to preview
</pre>
<form>
<input id="xml" value="theXMLagain" />
</form>
</html>
My XML is being generated with a few while loops and stuff. It then needs to be shown in the two places (the preview and the form value).
My question is. How do I capture the generated XML in a variable or whatever so I only have to generate it once and then just print it out as apposed to generating it inside the preview and then again inside the form value?
Php Solutions
Solution 1 - Php
<?php ob_start(); ?>
<xml/>
<?php $xml = ob_get_clean(); ?>
<input value="<?php echo $xml ?>" />͏͏͏͏͏͏
Solution 2 - Php
Put this at your start:
ob_start();
And to get the buffer back:
$value = ob_get_contents(); ob_end_clean();
See <http://us2.php.net/manual/en/ref.outcontrol.php> and the individual functions for more information.
Solution 3 - Php
It sounds like you want PHP Output Buffering
ob_start();
// make your XML file
$out1 = ob_get_contents();
//$out1 now contains your XML
Note that output buffering stops the output from being sent, until you "flush" it. See the Documentation for more info.
Solution 4 - Php
You could try this:
<?php
$string = <<<XMLDoc
<?xml version='1.0'?>
<doc>
<title>XML Document</title>
<lotsofxml/>
<fruits>
XMLDoc;
$fruits = array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');
foreach($fruits as $fruit) {
$string .= "\n <fruit>".$fruit."</fruit>";
}
$string .= "\n </fruits>
</doc>";
?>
<html>
<!-- Show XML as HTML with entities; saves having to view source -->
<pre><?=str_replace("<", "<", str_replace(">", ">", $string))?></pre>
<textarea rows="8" cols="50"><?=$string?></textarea>
</html>
Solution 5 - Php
When using frequently, a little helper could be helpful:
class Helper
{
/**
* Capture output of a function with arguments and return it as a string.
*/
public static function captureOutput(callable $callback, ...$args): string
{
ob_start();
$callback(...$args);
$output = ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean();
return $output;
}
}