controlling what kind of data is returned by PHP

This may be an ignorant question, but does PHP always return text data? I
would like to return binary data from a script that I call, in much the same
way that I get binary data simply by downloading a file. I would like to
call a php file and let it determine what binary data is returned.

Right now, if I try to return a binary string, it seems like the string is
being converted into coded characters , like "%5F" and such

Thanks
B

Re: controlling what kind of data is returned by PHP

Bint wrote:
> This may be an ignorant question, but does PHP always return text
> data? I would like to return binary data from a script that I call,
> in much the same way that I get binary data simply by downloading a
> file. I would like to call a php file and let it determine what
> binary data is returned.
> Right now, if I try to return a binary string, it seems like the
> string is being converted into coded characters , like "%5F" and such
>
> Thanks
> B

All data is "binary" data. The browser however interprets the data in
different ways depending on the headers that are sent with it. So if the
headers say it is an image, the browser will try to display it as an image.

Re: controlling what kind of data is returned by PHP

Paul Lautman wrote:
> Bint wrote:
>> This may be an ignorant question, but does PHP always return text
>> data? I would like to return binary data from a script that I call,
>> in much the same way that I get binary data simply by downloading a
>> file. I would like to call a php file and let it determine what
>> binary data is returned.
>> Right now, if I try to return a binary string, it seems like the
>> string is being converted into coded characters , like "%5F" and such
>>
>> Thanks
>> B
>
> All data is "binary" data. The browser however interprets the data in
> different ways depending on the headers that are sent with it. So if the
> headers say it is an image, the browser will try to display it as an image.
>
>
And if it is text, but with odd characters in it, php MAY decide to turn
that into HTML correct characters, depending on how switches are set I
think.

Re: controlling what kind of data is returned by PHP

On 16 Jan, 02:41, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> Paul Lautman wrote:
> > Bint wrote:
> >> This may be an ignorant question, but does PHP always return text
> >> data? I would like to return binary data from a script that I call,
> >> in much the same way that I get binary data simply by downloading a
> >> file. I would like to call a php file and let it determine what
> >> binary data is returned.
> >> Right now, if I try to return a binary string, it seems like the
> >> string is being converted into coded characters , like "%5F" and such
>
> >> Thanks
> >> B
>
> > All data is "binary" data. The browser however interprets the data in
> > different ways depending on the headers that are sent with it. So if the
> > headers say it is an image, the browser will try to display it as an image.
>
> And if it is text, but with odd characters in it, php MAY decide to turn
> that into HTML correct characters, depending on how switches are set I
> think.

? new one on me...try this:

header('Content-Type: image/gif');
$img=file_get_contents('/some/path/some.gif');
print $img;
?>

C.

Re: controlling what kind of data is returned by PHP

On Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:41:41 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> Paul Lautman wrote:
>> Bint wrote:
>>> This may be an ignorant question, but does PHP always return text
>>> data? I would like to return binary data from a script that I call,
>>> in much the same way that I get binary data simply by downloading a
>>> file. I would like to call a php file and let it determine what
>>> binary data is returned.
>>> Right now, if I try to return a binary string, it seems like the
>>> string is being converted into coded characters , like "%5F" and such
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> B
>> All data is "binary" data. The browser however interprets the data in
>> different ways depending on the headers that are sent with it. So if
>> the headers say it is an image, the browser will try to display it as
>> an image.
> And if it is text, but with odd characters in it, php MAY decide to turn
> that into HTML correct characters, depending on how switches are set I
> think.

PHP does not 'turn it into something' unless specifically told so. How is
it you think PHP does this 'to HTML correct characters' alteration?
--
Rik Wasmus