php man page for stream_get_contents

STREAM_GET_CONTENTS(3)							 1						    STREAM_GET_CONTENTS(3)

stream_get_contents - Reads remainder of a stream into a string

SYNOPSIS
       string stream_get_contents (resource  $handle, [int  $maxlength = -1], [int  $offset = -1])

DESCRIPTION
	Identical  to file_get_contents(3), except that stream_get_contents(3) operates on an already open stream resource and returns the remain-
       ing contents in a string, up to $maxlength bytes and starting at the specified $offset.

PARAMETERS
	      o $handle (
		resource) - A stream resource (e.g. returned from fopen(3))

	      o $maxlength (
		integer) - The maximum bytes to read. Defaults to -1 (read all the remaining buffer).

	      o $offset (
		integer) - Seek to the specified offset before reading. If this number is negative, no seeking will occur and reading  will  start
		from the current position.

RETURN VALUES
	Returns a string or FALSE on failure.

CHANGELOG
       +--------+-------------------------+
       |Version |			  |
       |	|			  |
       |	|	Description	  |
       |	|			  |
       +--------+-------------------------+
       | 5.1.0	|			  |
       |	|			  |
       |	|  The $offset was added. |
       |	|			  |
       +--------+-------------------------+
EXAMPLES
       Example #1

	      stream_get_contents(3) example

	      <?php

	      if ($stream = fopen('http://www.example.com', 'r')) {
		  // print all the page starting at the offset 10
		  echo stream_get_contents($stream, -1, 10);

		  fclose($stream);
	      }

	      if ($stream = fopen('http://www.example.net', 'r')) {
		  // print the first 5 bytes
		  echo stream_get_contents($stream, 5);

		  fclose($stream);
	      }

	      ?>

NOTES
       Note

	      This function is binary-safe.

SEE ALSO
       fgets(3), fread(3), fpassthru(3).

PHP Documentation Group 												    STREAM_GET_CONTENTS(3)