php-doc-en/functions/curl.xml

 <reference id="ref.curl">
  <title>CURL, Client URL Library functions</title>
  <titleabbrev>CURL</titleabbrev>
   <partintro id="curl.partintro">
   <para>
    PHP supports libcurl, a library, created by Daniel Stenberg, that allows
    you to connect and communicate to many different types of servers with many
    different types of protocols.  libcurl currently supports the http, https, ftp,
    gopher, telnet, dict, file, and ldap protocols.  libcurl also supports
    HTTPS certificates, HTTP POST, HTTP PUT, FTP uploading (this can also be done
    with PHP's ftp extension), HTTP form based upload, proxies, cookies and 
    user+password authentication.
   </para>
   <para>
    In order to use the CURL functions you need to install the
    <ulink url="&url.curl;">CURL</ulink> package. PHP requires
    that you use CURL 7.0.2-beta or higher. PHP will not work with any version of 
    CURL below version 7.0.2-beta.
   </para>
   <para>
    To use PHP's CURL support you must also compile PHP 
    <option role="configure">--with-curl[=DIR]</option> where DIR is the location 
    of the directory containing the lib and include directories.  In the "include"
    directory there should be a folder named "curl" which should contain the 
    easy.h and curl.h files.  There should be a file named "libcurl.a" located in
    the "lib" directory.
   </para>
   <para>
    Once you've compiled PHP with CURL support, you can begin using the curl
    functions.  The basic idea behind the CURL functions is that you initialize a
    CURL session using the <function>curl_init()</function>, then you can set
    all your options for the transfer via the <function>curl_exec()</function> and
    then you finish off your session using the <function>curl_close()</function>.
    Here is an example that uses the CURL functions to fetch the PHP homepage into
    a file:
    <example>
     <title>Using PHP's CURL module to fetch the PHP homepage</title>
     <programlisting role="php">
&lt;?php

$ch = curl_init ("http://www.php.net/");
$fp = fopen ("php_homepage.txt", "w");

curl_setopt ($ch, CURLOPT_INFILE, $fp);
curl_setopt ($ch, CURLOPT_HEADER, 0);

curl_exec ($ch);
curl_close ($ch);
fclose ($fp);
?>
     </programlisting>
    </example>
   </para>
  </partintro>

  <refentry id="function.curl-init">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>curl_init</refname>
    <refpurpose>Initialize a CURL session</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcprototype>
      <funcdef>int 
       <function>curl_init</function>
      </funcdef>
      <paramdef>string 
       <parameter>
        <optional>url</optional>
       </parameter>
      </paramdef>
     </funcprototype>
    </funcsynopsis>
    <para>
     The <function>curl_init</function> will initialize a new session
     and return a CURL handle for use with the <function>curl_setopt</function>,
     <function>curl_exec</function>, and <function>curl_close</function>
     functions.  If the optional <parameter>url</parameter> parameter is supplied
     then the CURLOPT_URL option will be set to the value of the parameter.
     You can manually set this using the <function>curl_setopt</function>
     function.
     <example>
      <title>Initializing a new CURL session and fetching a webpage</title>
      <programlisting role="php">
&lt;?php
$ch = curl_init();

curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, "http://www.zend.com/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HEADER, 0);

curl_exec($ch);

curl_close($ch);
?>
      </programlisting>
     </example>
    </para>
    <para>
     See also:  <function>curl_close</function>, <function>curl_setopt</function>
    </para>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.curl-setopt">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>curl_setopt</refname>
    <refpurpose>Set an option for a CURL transfer</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcprototype>
      <funcdef>bool 
       <function>curl_setopt</function>
      </funcdef>
      <paramdef>int 
       <parameter>ch</parameter>
      </paramdef>
      <paramdef>string 
       <parameter>option</parameter>
      </paramdef>
      <paramdef>mixed 
       <parameter>value</parameter>
      </paramdef>
     </funcprototype>
    </funcsynopsis>
    <para>
     The <function>curl_setopt</function> function will set options for a CURL
     session identified by the <parameter>ch</parameter> parameter.  The
     <parameter>option</parameter> parameter is the option you want to set,
     and the <parameter>value</parameter> is the value of the option
     given by the <parameter>option</parameter>.
    </para>
    <para>
     The <parameter>value</parameter> should be a long for the following
     options (specified in the <parameter>option</parameter> parameter):
     <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_INFILESIZE</parameter>:  When you are uploading
        a file to a remote site, this option should be used to tell PHP
        what the expected size of the infile will be.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_VERBOSE</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero
        value if you want CURL to report everything that is happening.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_HEADER</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero
        value if you want the header to be included in the output. 
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <para>
       <parameter>CURLOPT_NOPROGRESS</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero
        value if you don't want PHP to display a progress meter for CURL transfers
        <note>
         <simpara>
          PHP automatically sets this option to a non-zero parameter, this should
         only be changed for debugging purposes.
         </simpara>
        </note>
       </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_NOBODY</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero value
        if you don't want the body included with the output.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_FAILONERROR</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero
        value if you want PHP to fail silently if the HTTP code returned is greater
        than 300.  The default behaviour is to return the page normally, ignoring
        the code.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_UPLOAD</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero value
        if you want PHP to prepare for an upload.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
      <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_POST</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero value
        if you want PHP to do a regular HTTP POST.  This POST is a normal 
        application/x-www-from-urlencoded kind, most commonly used by HTML forms.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_FTPLISTONLY</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero
       value and PHP will just list the names of an FTP directory.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_FTPAPPEND</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero 
        value and PHP will append to the remote file instead of overwriting it.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_NETRC</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero value
        and PHP will scan your ~./netrc file to find your username and password
        for the remote site that you're establishing a connection with.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION</parameter>:  Set this option to a 
        non-zero value to follow any "Location: " header that the server sends as 
        a part of the HTTP header (note this is recursive, PHP will follow as many
        "Location: " headers that it is sent.)
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_PUT</parameter>:  Set this option a non-zero value to
        HTTP PUT a file.  The file to PUT must be set with the CURLOPT_INFILE and
        CURLOPT_INFILESIZE.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_MUTE</parameter>:  Set this option to a non-zero value
        and PHP will be completely silent with regards to the CURL functions.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_TIMEOUT</parameter>:  Pass a long as a parameter that
        contains the maximum time, in seconds, that you'll allow the curl functions
        to take.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_LOW_SPEED_LIMIT</parameter>:  Pass a long as a parameter
        that contains the transfer speed in bytes per second that the transfer should
        be below during CURLOPT_LOW_SPEED_TIME seconds for PHP to consider it too 
        slow and abort.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_LOW_SPEED_TIME</parameter>:  Pass a long as a parameter
        that contains the time in seconds that the transfer should be below the 
        CURLOPT_LOW_SPEED_LIMIT for PHP to consider it too slow and abort.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_RESUME_FROM</parameter>:  Pass a long as a parameter that
        contains the offset, in bytes, that you want the transfer to start from.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_SSLVERSION</parameter>:  Pass a long as a parameter that
        contains the SSL version (2 or 3) to use.  By default PHP will try and
        determine this by itself, although, in some cases you must set this
        manually.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_TIMECONDITION</parameter>:  Pass a long as a parameter
        that defines how the CURLOPT_TIMEVALUE is treated.  You can set this
        parameter to TIMECOND_IFMODSINCE or TIMECOND_ISUNMODSINCE.  This is a 
        HTTP-only feature.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_TIMEVALUE</parameter>:  Pass a long as a parameter that
        is the time in seconds since January 1st, 1970.  The time will be used as 
        specified by the CURLOPT_TIMEVALUE option, or by default the
        TIMECOND_IFMODSINCE will be used.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
    </para>
    <para>
     The <parameter>value</parameter> parameter should be a string for the following 
     values of the <parameter>option</parameter> parameter:
     <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_URL</parameter>:  This is the URL that you want PHP to 
        fetch.  You can also set this option when initializing a session with the
        <function>curl_init</function> function.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_USERPWD</parameter>:  Pass a string formatted in the
        [username]:[password] manner, for PHP to use for the connection. 
        connection. 
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_PROXYUSERPWD</parameter>:  Pass a string formatted in
        the [username]:[password] format for connection to the HTTP proxy.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_RANGE</parameter>:  Pass the specified range you want.  
        It should be in the "X-Y" format, where X or Y may be left out.  The HTTP
        transfers also support several intervals, seperated with commas as in 
        X-Y,N-M.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS</parameter>:  Pass a string containing the 
        full data to post in an HTTP "POST" operation.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_REFERER</parameter>:  Pass a string containing the
        "referer" header to be used in an HTTP request.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_USERAGENT</parameter>:  Pass a string containing the 
        "user-agent" header to be used in an HTTP request.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_FTPPORT</parameter>:  Pass a string containing the which
        will be used to get the IP address to use for the ftp "PORT" instruction.
        The POST instruction tells the remote server to connect to our specified
        IP address.  The string may be a plain IP address, a hostname, a network 
        interface name (under UNIX), or just a plain '-' to use the systems default
        IP address.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_COOKIE</parameter>:  Pass a string containing the
        content of the cookie to be set in the HTTP header.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_SSLCERT</parameter>:  Pass a string containing the 
        filename of PEM formatted certificate.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_SSLCERTPASSWD</parameter>:  Pass a string containing 
        the password required to use the CURLOPT_SSLCERT certificate.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE</parameter>:  Pass a string containing 
        the name of the file containing the cookiee data.  The cookie file can be
        in Netscape format, or just plain HTTP-style headers dumped into a file.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST</parameter>:  Pass a string to be used
        instead of GET or HEAD when doing an HTTP request.  This is useful for
        doing DELETE or another, more obscure, HTTP request.
        <note>
         <simpara>
          Don't do this without making sure your server supports the command
          first.
         </simpara>
        </note>
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
    </para>
    <para>
     The following options expect a file descriptor that is obtained by using the 
     <function>fopen</function> function:
     <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_FILE</parameter>:  The file where the output of your 
        transfer should be placed, the default is STDOUT.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_INFILE</parameter>:  The file where the input of your
        transfer comes from.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_WRITEHEADER</parameter>:  The file to write the header
        part of the output into.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <simpara>
        <parameter>CURLOPT_STDERR</parameter>:  The file to write errors to instead
        of stderr.
       </simpara>
      </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
    </para>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.curl-exec">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>curl_exec</refname>
    <refpurpose>Perform a CURL session</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcprototype>
      <funcdef>bool 
       <function>curl_exec</function>
      </funcdef>
      <paramdef>int 
       <parameter>ch</parameter>
      </paramdef>
     </funcprototype>
    </funcsynopsis>
    <para>
       This function is should be called after you initialize a CURL session and all the
       options for the session are set.  Its purpose is simply to execute the predefined 
       CURL session (given by the <parameter>ch</parameter>).
    </para>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

  <refentry id="function.curl-close">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>curl_close</refname>
    <refpurpose>Close a CURL session</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcprototype>
      <funcdef>void 
       <function>curl_close</function>
      </funcdef>
      <paramdef>int 
       <parameter>ch</parameter>
      </paramdef>
     </funcprototype>
    </funcsynopsis>
    <para>
     This functions closes a CURL session and frees all ressources.
     The CURL handle, <parameter>ch</parameter>, is also deleted.
    </para>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>
  
  <refentry id="function.curl-version">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>curl_version</refname>
    <refpurpose>Return the current CURL version</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
    <funcsynopsis>
     <funcprototype>
      <funcdef>string 
       <function>curl_version</function>
      </funcdef>
      <void/>
     </funcprototype>
    </funcsynopsis>
    <para>
     The <function>curl_version</function> function returns a string containing the
     current CURL version.
    </para>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>
 </reference>

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