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# readfile

(PHP 3, PHP 4, PHP 5)

readfile -- Outputs a file

## Description

int readfile ( string filename [, bool use_include_path [, resource context]] )

Reads a file and writes it to the output buffer.

Returns the number of bytes read from the file. If an error occurs, `FALSE` is returned and unless the function was called as @readfile(), an error message is printed.

> Tip: You can use a URL as a filename with this function if the fopen wrappers have been enabled. See fopen() for more details on how to specify the filename and Appendix M for a list of supported URL protocols.

You can use the optional second parameter and set it to `TRUE`, if you want to search for the file in the include_path, too.

> Note: Context support was added with PHP 5.0.0. For a description of contexts, refer to Reference CL, Stream Functions.

See also fpassthru(), file(), fopen(), include(), require(), virtual(), file_get_contents(), and Appendix M.

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