PHP create random tmp file and get its full path

Question

After I do:

$temp = tmpfile(); fwrite($temp, "writing to tempfile"); 

I'd like to get a full path to the $temp file that tmpfile has created.

What do I need to do to get that information?

Answer 1

tmpfile returns a stream-able file pointer.

To get the corresponding path, ask the stream for its meta data:

$file = tmpfile(); $path = stream_get_meta_data($file)['uri']; // eg: /tmp/phpFx0513a 

The benefit of the tmpfile approach? PHP automatically removes the $path when $file goes out of scope. With tempnam, you must manually remove the created file.

Answer 2

$path = tempnam(sys_get_temp_dir(), 'prefix'); 

See this example.