PHP method of loading remotely stored files

Question

I am using SmartFile to store user submitted files. To display image files on the site I could just link to them, but if the file is missing I have no option to display a default image instead. Or to prevent hot linking. Or to setup browser cache etc.

Their API is throttled to 180 requests per min. So it’s no good for displaying images on a busy site.

I have tried using get_headers to check the expected file exists and then file_get_contents, if it does, but that is very slow and inefficient. Just using file_get_contents with out get_headers first is very slow!

What’s my best option here? I haven’t tried using curl yet. I think I could get headers and file with just one request with that, but as file_get_contents is slow, I imagine curl won't be any faster.

So what have you done so far to address the issue? Or is this a call for spec work? — Giacomo1968, May 26 '14 at 05:26
What? I've tried `get_headers` and now I have tried `curl` too to fetch headers and body. I'm looking for the best method! — Ally, May 26 '14 at 12:55

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered May 25 '14 at 23:17

0

You can do this loading and checking in browser by JavaScript. So your application just passes the link to file and user will see loading image while JavaScript will check if image exists.

Example using jQuery:

<img src="loading.gif">
<script>
    $.ajax({
        type: 'HEAD',
        url: 'http://example.com/image.jpg',
        success: function() {
            $('img').attr('src','http://example.com/image.jpg');
        },
        error: function() {

        }
    });
</script>

You don't have to load the image with file_get_contents if you don't need to hide the image path.

You can also have some database table where you will cache the image address. And check every hour if the link is still working or broken. And if it is broken, you will change the url to that image to missing.jpg in database.

You can also consider to move from smartfile to DropBox or other service.

answered May 25 '14 at 23:17

Ladislav Gallay

478
6
15

While JS is a partial solution, I'm looking for a PHP solution. JS won't work for browsers that don't have JS enabled. It won't set headers to cache the files in the user's browser until modified. The file names are already stored in the database, so files shouldn't go missing, but if they do it looks ugly! Lastly why would I move from smartfile to dropbox for file hosting alternative to Amazon S3? smartfile developer is free for up to 100GB storage, 200GB transfer out (unlimited in), unlimited api calls. Slightly better than the 2GB DB give for free, which isn't really intended for this use! – Ally May 26 '14 at 02:29
Here this should be the fastest way to check [file existance](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1363925/check-whether-image-exists-on-remote-url). If file exist's then you just provide link to browser. You don't have to load it with **file_get_contents**. – Ladislav Gallay May 26 '14 at 08:14

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 26 '14 at 05:14

Try it grabbing image from another site, yes it use file_get_content

<?php 

if(!isset($_GET['read'])){
 $url = "http://mangaku.web.id/baca-komik-naruto-terbaru-bahasa-indonesia/"; 
 $input = @file_get_contents($url) or die("Could not access file: $url");
 $regexp = "<a\s[^>]*href=(\"??)([^\" >]*?)\\1[^>]*>(.*)<\/a>"; 
 if(preg_match_all("/$regexp/siU", $input, $matches, PREG_SET_ORDER)) {
 foreach($matches as $match) {
     if (strpos($match[2],'chapter')!== false OR strpos($match[3],'naruto-chapter')!== false) {
    echo "<a href='http://localhost/mangaku.php?read=".$match[2]."'>".$match[3]."</a><br>";
}
 } 
 }
}

 if(isset($_GET['read'])){
 $url = $_GET['read']; 
 $input = @file_get_contents($url) or die("Could not access file: $url");
 $regexp = "<a\s[^>]*href=(\"??)([^\" >]*?)\\1[^>]*>(.*)<\/a>"; 
 if(preg_match_all("/$regexp/siU", $input, $matches, PREG_SET_ORDER)) {
 foreach($matches as $match) {
     if (strpos($match[2],'bp.blogspot.com') !== false) {
  echo "<center><image src='".$match[2]."'></center><br>";
  //echo $match[2]."<br>";
}
 } 
 }
}
?>

PHP method of loading remotely stored files

2 Answers2