fwrite - is there any other way?

[kratsg]

Ok, I've got an interesting question.

 

Is there such thing as a "backwards" append? By backwards, instead of appending to the END of the file, it appends to the BEGINNING?

 

Yes, I know you can do something like

 

$message = sanitize($_POST['message'])."\n".file_get_contents("some_file.txt");
$fp = fopen("some_file.txt","w");
fwrite($fp,$message);
fclose($fp);

 

And the end result would be the same. However, I was wondering if there was a way to do it WITHOUT having to read out the whole file and overwriting that same file? (and why in the world couldn't PHP have a backwards append? They've already got one to add to the end of the file, why not to the beginning?)

[kenrbnsn]

The general way of doing this is:

 

1) read the entire file into an array

2) reverse the array

3) add the line you want to put at the beginning of the file at the end of the array

4) reverse the array

5) write it out

 

<?php
$file_array = map_array('trim',file('yourfile.here'));
$file_array = array_reverse($file_array);
$file_array[] = 'The line goes here';
file_put_contents('yourfile.here',implode("\n",array_reverse($file_array)));
?>

 

Ken

[kratsg]

Does file_put_contents() truncate the file before inserting the new data?

[JasonLewis]

The manual is your friend.

To answer your question though, yes. It overwrites the existing file, unless you set the optional flag which just appends the data.

[Fadion]

@Ken, the function should be array_map()

[JasonLewis]

@Ken, the function should be array_map()

 

Ahh the silliness of the PHP API. They throw things all around the joint they do.

[Fadion]

Ahh the silliness of the PHP API. They throw things all around the joint they do.

 

lol. The array functions all start with array_, but there are ones like "array_walk_recursive" or "move_uploaded_file" which just don't make sense.

[kenrbnsn]

Sorry -- I wrote that at 1 AM...

 

Ken

[JasonLewis]

Not all array functions start with array_. You have all the sort functions. It's not only functions, but the parameters functions take. I get so confused sometimes I keep on referring to the manual to ensure I am putting the correct parameter in the correct position.

[Fadion]

Not all array functions start with array_. You have all the sort functions. It's not only functions, but the parameters functions take. I get so confused sometimes I keep on referring to the manual to ensure I am putting the correct parameter in the correct position.

 

I meant all functions that: strpos("some_array_function", "array")  . Yeah actually it's really confusing remembering the parameters position or optional parameter constants. I suffered this (and a lot more) a bit while taking some simulation tests for the zend zce. It needs quite good memory, but at least it has the greatest documentation ever.