CVII. GNU Readline

Introduction

The readline() functions implement an interface to the GNU Readline library. These are functions that provide editable command lines. An example being the way Bash allows you to use the arrow keys to insert characters or scroll through command history. Because of the interactive nature of this library, it will be of little use for writing Web applications, but may be useful when writing scripts used from a command line.

Note: This extension is not available on Windows platforms.

Requirements

To use the readline functions, you need to install libreadline. You can find libreadline on the home page of the GNU Readline project, at http://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/~chet/readline/rltop.html. It's maintained by Chet Ramey, who's also the author of Bash.

You can also use these functions with the libedit library, a non-GPL replacement for the readline library. The libedit library is BSD licensed and available for download from http://sourceforge.net/projects/libedit/.

Installation

To use these functions you must compile the CGI or CLI version of PHP with readline support. You need to configure PHP --with-readline[=DIR]. In order you want to use the libedit readline replacement, configure PHP --with-libedit[=DIR].

Runtime Configuration

This extension has no configuration directives defined in php.ini.

Resource Types

This extension has no resource types defined.

Predefined Constants

This extension has no constants defined.

Table of Contents
readline_add_history -- Adds a line to the history
readline_callback_handler_install -- Initializes the readline callback interface and terminal, prints the prompt and returns immediately
readline_callback_handler_remove -- Removes a previously installed callback handler and restores terminal settings
readline_callback_read_char -- Reads a character and informs the readline callback interface when a line is received
readline_clear_history -- Clears the history
readline_completion_function -- Registers a completion function
readline_info -- Gets/sets various internal readline variables
readline_list_history -- Lists the history
readline_on_new_line -- Inform readline that the cursor has moved to a new line
readline_read_history -- Reads the history
readline_redisplay -- Ask readline to redraw the display
readline_write_history -- Writes the history
readline -- Reads a line

User Contributed Notes
GNU Readline

jeffrey at thompsonic dot com
22-Feb-2005 09:18


Here's an easy way without readline() if you don't have it compiled in already:



   $fp = fopen("php://stdin","r");

   $line = rtrim(fgets($fp, 1024);

jcl atNOSPAM jcl dot name
23-Nov-2004 12:40


Even better than 'plz at dont dot spam' in only one line :) :



@c:\\php\\cli\\php.exe script.php %*



Cheers,

Jean-Charles

plz at dont dot spam
08-Aug-2004 04:50


To get all arguments passed to a batch file in one variable

rather than using %1 %2 %3 etc;



:LOOP

if "%1" == "" goto DONE

set args=%args% %1

shift

goto LOOP

:DONE

@c:\\php\\cli\\php.exe script.php %args%

set args=

ds at NOSPAM dot undesigned dot org dot za
04-Dec-2003 11:04


You can open /dev/tty on unix systems or \con in windows, with ob_implicit_flush(true) to write output unbuffered.  Works like a charm :-)



-------------------------------



#!/usr/local/bin/php -q

<?php



set_time_limit(0);

@ob_end_flush();

ob_implicit_flush(true);



class prompt {

  var $tty;



  function prompt() {

    if (substr(PHP_OS, 0, 3) == "WIN") {

      $this->tty = fOpen("\con", "rb");

    } else {

      if (!($this->tty = fOpen("/dev/tty", "r"))) {

        $this->tty = fOpen("php://stdin", "r");

      }

    }

  }



  function get($string, $length = 1024) {

    echo $string;

    $result = trim(fGets($this->tty, $length));

    echo "\n";

    return $result;

  }

}



echo "Enter something or 'exit' to quit\n";

do {

  $cmdline = new prompt();

  $buffer = $cmdline->get("Something: ");

  echo "You said: $buffer\n";

} while ($buffer !== "exit");

echo "Goodbye\n";



?>

jewfish at jewfish dot net
10-Jun-2002 07:05


There is a simpler way to do a multiline read than above:



function multiline() {

    while(($in = readline("")) != ".")

        $story .= ($PHP_OS == "WINNT") ? "\r\n".$in :

                                         "\n".$in;



    return $story;

}

joshua at neocodesoftware.com
21-Apr-2002 06:17


Here's an example simple readline-like way to input from command line on windows - the single line is from http://www.phpbuilder.com/columns/darrell20000319.php3, the multiline is something I added...



<?

function read () {

    # 4092 max on win32 fopen



    $fp=fopen("php://stdin", "r");

    $in=fgets($fp,4094);

    fclose($fp);



    # strip newline

    (PHP_OS == "WINNT") ? ($read = str_replace("\r\n", "", $in)) : ($read = str_replace("\n", "", $in));



    return $read;

}



function multilineread () {

    do {

        $in = read();



        # test exit

        if ($in == ".") return $read;



        # concat input

        (PHP_OS == "WINNT") ? ($read = $read . ($read ? "\r\n" : "") . $in) : ($read = $read . "\n" . $in);



    } while ($inp != ".");



    return $read;

}



print("End input with . on line by itself.\n");



print("What is your first name?\n");

$first_name = multilineread();



print("What is your last name?\n");

$last_name = read();



print("\nHello, $first_name $last_name! Nice to meet you! \n");

?>

14-Apr-2002 10:17


[Ed. note: you can use fopen("php://stdin", "w") to achieve the same thing, works on both Windows and Unix)]





I wanted to get console input in a PHP script running on windows, so I made a little hack, which is so simple, it is clearly public domain.  What I did was write a C++ program to get a line, then output it.  Then all that is needed is to exec() that program and capture the output - readline() for windows.  The C++ source is as follows:





#include <iostream.h>


#include <string>


void main()


{


    string input;


    cin >> input;


    cout << input;


}





It works wonderfully for my purposes, since I love the PHP language and want to have console input.





Justin Henck