WireHttp::download() method

Download a file from a URL and save it locally

First it will attempt to use CURL. If that fails, it will try fopen(), unless you specify the use option in $options.

Usage

// basic usage
$string = $http->download(string $fromURL, string $toFile);

// usage with all arguments
$string = $http->download(string $fromURL, string $toFile, array $options = []);

Arguments

Name Type(s) Description

Name	Type(s)	Description
`fromURL`	string	URL of file you want to download.
`toFile`	string	Filename you want to save it to (including full path).
`options` (optional)	array	Optional options array for PHP's stream_context_create(), plus these optional options: `use` or `useMethod` (string): Specify "curl", "fopen" or "socket" to force a specific method (default=auto-detect). `timeout` (float): Number of seconds till timeout or omit to use previously set timeout setting or default. `fopen_bufferSize' (int): Buffer size (bytes) or 0 to disable buffer, used only by fopen method (default=1048576) 3.0.222+

fromURL

string

URL of file you want to download.

toFile

string

Filename you want to save it to (including full path).

options (optional)

array

Optional options array for PHP's stream_context_create(), plus these optional options:

use or useMethod (string): Specify "curl", "fopen" or "socket" to force a specific method (default=auto-detect).
timeout (float): Number of seconds till timeout or omit to use previously set timeout setting or default.
`fopen_bufferSize' (int): Buffer size (bytes) or 0 to disable buffer, used only by fopen method (default=1048576) 3.0.222+

Return value

string

Filename that was downloaded (including full path).

Exceptions

Method can throw exceptions on error:

WireException - All error conditions throw exceptions.

Hooking $http->download(…)

You can add your own hook events that are executed either before or after the $http->download(…) method is executed. Examples of both are included below. A good place for hook code such as this is in your /site/ready.php file.

Hooking before

The 'before' hooks are called immediately before each $http->download(…) method call is executed. This type of hook is especially useful for modifying arguments before they are sent to the method.

$this->addHookBefore('WireHttp::download', function(HookEvent $event) {
  // Get the object the event occurred on, if needed
  $WireHttp = $event->object;

  // Get values of arguments sent to hook (and optionally modify them)
  $fromURL = $event->arguments(0);
  $toFile = $event->arguments(1);
  $options = $event->arguments(2);

  /* Your code here, perhaps modifying arguments */

  // Populate back arguments (if you have modified them)
  $event->arguments(0, $fromURL);
  $event->arguments(1, $toFile);
  $event->arguments(2, $options);
});

Hooking after

The 'after' hooks are called immediately after each $http->download(…) method call is executed. This type of hook is especially useful for modifying the value that was returned by the method call.

$this->addHookAfter('WireHttp::download', function(HookEvent $event) {
  // Get the object the event occurred on, if needed
  $WireHttp = $event->object;

  // An 'after' hook can retrieve and/or modify the return value
  $return = $event->return;

  // Get values of arguments sent to hook (if needed)
  $fromURL = $event->arguments(0);
  $toFile = $event->arguments(1);
  $options = $event->arguments(2);

  /* Your code here, perhaps modifying the return value */

  // Populate back return value, if you have modified it
  $event->return = $return;
});

$http methods and properties

API reference based on ProcessWire core version 3.0.244