How can I keep an HTML snippet in a separate file, plug variables in as needed, and echo it out on demand?

Question

For instance, let's say I have a snippet of code, which I'd like to keep separate. for now, we'll call it snippet.php.

snippet.php would be a simple block of reusable HTML which would have php variables in it. Something like this:

<article>
    <h1>{$headline}</h1>
    <p>${$body}</p>
</article>

I'd like to be able to return this code from a function, along the lines of this:

function writeArticle($headline, $body){
    return "contents of snippet.php using the variables passed in to the function"
}

I know I could just use html in a string to return, but the actual snippet would be fairly complex, and I want it to be modular.

its exactly what you are trying to do, it couldn't be more on point. — user557846
– user557846, Commented Feb 16, 2012 at 2:32
Even if it is on point, it's entirely unhelpful. You could at least name one of these "very many template engines" that are currently available. — Chris Sobolewski
– Chris Sobolewski, Commented Feb 16, 2012 at 2:34

denil · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-16 02:37:29Z

1

One method is using file_get_contents and str_replace

HTML:

<article>
     <h1>[-HEADLINE-]</h1>
     <p>[-BODY-]</p>
</article>

PHP:

function writeArticle($headline,$body){
      $content = file_get_contents("[add your html directory here]/file.html",true);
      $content = str_replace("[-HEADLINE-]",$headline,$content);
      $content = str_replace("[-BODY-]",$body,$content);

      echo $content;
 }

answered Feb 16, 2012 at 2:37

denil

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2 Comments

Chris Sobolewski Over a year ago

This looks like exactly what I'd like to do. Thank you.

denil Over a year ago

Welcome! Glad to help you with this problem

Brent Baisley · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-16 02:41:14Z

1

You can use output buffering and include the file so the PHP variables get evaluated. However, since you are not using <?php PHP tags ?> you will need to wrap it in HEREDOC format (http://php.net/manual/en/language.types.string.php). Scroll down to Heredoc on the page.

snippet.php

$output = <<<HEREDOC
<article>
  <h1>{$headline}</h1>
  <p>{$body}</p>
</article>
HEREDOC;

function writeArticle($headline, $body){
     ob_start();
     include('snippet.php');
     $snippet = ob_get_clean();
     return $snippet
 }

answered Feb 16, 2012 at 2:41

Brent Baisley

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Comments

Brian Aderer · Accepted Answer · 2022-07-28 11:14:26Z

1

I had the same question and ended up solving it like this. I feel like this is the cleanest approach. Just turn php on and off within the function.

<?php
function writeArticle($headline, $body){
?>

<article>
<h1><?php echo $headline; ?></h1>
<p><?php echo $body; ?></p>
</article>

    <?php
}
?>

writeArticle('foo', 'bar');

edited Jul 28, 2022 at 11:14

answered Jul 27, 2022 at 17:20

Brian Aderer

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Comments

AgnosticDev · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-16 02:33:20Z

0

You could do this:

HTML DOCUMENT
Include('blockClass.php');
$block = new blockClass();
echo $bl = $block->block($headline, $body);     

CLASS DOCUMENT
 class blockClass{

    function block($headline, $body){

      $var ='<article>
              <h1>' . $headline . '</h1>
              <p>' . $body . '</p>
             </article>';
      return $var;
    }
}

answered Feb 16, 2012 at 2:33

AgnosticDev

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