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Zip Encoding Class

CodeIgniter's Zip Encoding Class classes permit you to create Zip archives. Archives can be downloaded to your -desktop or saved to a directory.

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Initializing the Class

Like most other classes in CodeIgniter, the Zip class is initialized in your controller using the $this->load->library function:

- -$this->load->library('zip'); -

Once loaded, the Zip library object will be available using: $this->zip

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Usage Example

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This example demonstrates how to compress a file, save it to a folder on your server, and download it to your desktop.

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-$name = 'mydata1.txt';

-$data = 'A Data String!';

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-$this->zip->add_data($name, $data);

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-// Write the zip file to a folder on your server. Name it "my_backup.zip"

-$this->zip->archive('/path/to/directory/my_backup.zip');
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- // Download the file to your desktop.  Name it "my_backup.zip"

-$this->zip->download('my_backup.zip');
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Function Reference

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$this->zip->add_data()

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Permits you to add data to the Zip archive. The first parameter must contain the name you would like -given to the file, the second parameter must contain the file data as a string:

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-$name = 'my_bio.txt';

-$data = 'I was born in an elevator...';

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-$this->zip->add_data($name, $data);
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You are allowed multiple calls to this function in order to -add several files to your archive. Example:

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-$name = 'mydata1.txt';

-$data = 'A Data String!';

-$this->zip->add_data($name, $data);

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-$name = 'mydata2.txt';

-$data = 'Another Data String!';

-$this->zip->add_data($name, $data);

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Or you can pass multiple files using an array:

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-$data = array(

-                'mydata1.txt' => 'A Data String!',

-                'mydata2.txt' => 'Another Data String!'

-            );

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-$this->zip->add_data($data);

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-$this->zip->download('my_backup.zip');
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If you would like your compressed data organized into sub-folders, include the path as part of the filename:

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-$name = 'personal/my_bio.txt';

-$data = 'I was born in an elevator...';

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-$this->zip->add_data($name, $data);
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The above example will place my_bio.txt inside a folder called personal.

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$this->zip->add_dir()

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Permits you to add a directory. Usually this function is unnecessary since you can place your data into folders when -using $this->zip->add_data(), but if you would like to create an empty folder you can do so. Example:

- -$this->zip->add_dir('myfolder'); // Creates a folder called "myfolder" - - - -

$this->zip->read_file()

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Permits you to compress a file that already exists somewhere on your server. Supply a file path and the zip class will -read it and add it to the archive:

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-$path = '/path/to/photo.jpg';


-$this->zip->read_file($path);
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- // Download the file to your desktop.  Name it "my_backup.zip"

-$this->zip->download('my_backup.zip');
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If you would like the Zip archive to maintain the directory structure of the file in it, pass TRUE (boolean) in the -second parameter. Example:

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-$path = '/path/to/photo.jpg';


-$this->zip->read_file($path, TRUE);
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- // Download the file to your desktop.  Name it "my_backup.zip"

-$this->zip->download('my_backup.zip');
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In the above example, photo.jpg will be placed inside two folders: path/to/

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$this->zip->read_dir()

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Permits you to compress a folder (and its contents) that already exists somewhere on your server. Supply a file path to the -directory and the zip class will recursively read it and recreate it as a Zip archive. All files contained within the -supplied path will be encoded, as will any sub-folders contained within it. Example:

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-$path = '/path/to/your/directory/';


-$this->zip->read_dir($path);
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- // Download the file to your desktop.  Name it "my_backup.zip"

-$this->zip->download('my_backup.zip');
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By default the Zip archive will place all directories listed in the first parameter inside the zip. If you want the tree preceding the target folder to be ignored -you can pass FALSE (boolean) in the second parameter. Example:

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-$path = '/path/to/your/directory/';


-$this->zip->read_dir($path, FALSE);
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This will create a ZIP with the folder "directory" inside, then all sub-folders stored correctly inside that, but will not include the folders /path/to/your.

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$this->zip->archive()

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Writes the Zip-encoded file to a directory on your server. Submit a valid server path ending in the file name. Make sure the -directory is writable (666 or 777 is usually OK). Example:

- -$this->zip->archive('/path/to/folder/myarchive.zip'); // Creates a file named myarchive.zip - - -

$this->zip->download()

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Causes the Zip file to be downloaded from your server. The function must be passed the name you would like the zip file called. -Example:

- -$this->zip->download('latest_stuff.zip'); // File will be named "latest_stuff.zip" - -

Note: Do not display any data in the controller in which you call this function since it sends various server headers -that cause the download to happen and the file to be treated as binary.

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$this->zip->get_zip()

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Returns the Zip-compressed file data. Generally you will not need this function unless you want to do something unique with the data. -Example:

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-$name = 'my_bio.txt';

-$data = 'I was born in an elevator...';

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-$this->zip->add_data($name, $data);


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-$zip_file = $this->zip->get_zip();
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$this->zip->clear_data()

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The Zip class caches your zip data so that it doesn't need to recompile the Zip archive for each function you use above. -If, however, you need to create multiple Zips, each with different data, you can clear the cache between calls. Example:

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-$name = 'my_bio.txt';

-$data = 'I was born in an elevator...';

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-$this->zip->add_data($name, $data);

-$zip_file = $this->zip->get_zip();

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-$this->zip->clear_data();
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-$name = 'photo.jpg';

-$this->zip->read_file("/path/to/photo.jpg"); // Read the file's contents

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-$this->zip->download('myphotos.zip');
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CodeIgniter User Guide Version 2.0.3

Zip Encoding Class

Initializing the Class

Usage Example

Function Reference

$this->zip->add_data()

$this->zip->add_dir()

$this->zip->read_file()

$this->zip->read_dir()

$this->zip->archive()

$this->zip->download()

$this->zip->get_zip()

$this->zip->clear_data()