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highlight_file

(PHP 4 , PHP 5)

highlight_file -- Syntax highlighting of a file

Description

mixed highlight_file ( string filename [, bool return])

The highlight_file() function prints out a syntax highlighted version of the code contained in filename using the colors defined in the built-in syntax highlighter for PHP.

If the second parameter return is set to TRUE then highlight_file() will return the highlighted code as a string instead of printing it out. If the second parameter is not set to TRUE then highlight_file() will return TRUE on success, FALSE on failure.

Note: The return parameter became available in PHP 4.2.0. Before this time it behaved like the default, which is FALSE

Caution

Care should be taken when using the show_source() and highlight_file() functions to make sure that you do not inadvertently reveal sensitive information such as passwords or any other type of information that might create a potential security risk.

Note: Since PHP 4.2.1 this function is also affected by safe_mode and open_basedir.

To setup a URL that can code highlight any script that you pass to it, we will make use of the "ForceType" directive in Apache to generate a nice URL pattern, and use the function highlight_file() to show a nice looking code list.

In your httpd.conf you can add the following:

Example 1. Creating a source highlighting URL

<Location /source>
    ForceType application/x-httpd-php
</Location>

And then make a file named source and put it in your web root directory.

<html>
<head>
<title>Source Display</title>
</head>
<body bgcolor="white">
<?php
    $script = getenv('SCRIPT_FILENAME');
    if (!$script) {
        echo "<br /><b>ERROR: Script Name needed</b><br />";
    } else {
        if (ereg("(\\.php|\\.inc)$", $script)) {
            echo "<h1>Source of: " . getenv("PATH_INFO") . "</h1>\n<hr />\n";
            highlight_file($script);
        } else {
            echo "<h1>ERROR: Only PHP or include script names are allowed</h1>";
        }
    }
    echo "<hr />Processed: " . date("Y/M/d H:i:s", time());
?>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Then you can use a URL like the one below to display a colorized version of a script located in "/path/to/script.php" in your web site. 

http://www.example.com/source/path/to/script.php

See also highlight_string().

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