string fread(int fp, int length);fread() reads up to length bytes from the file pointer referenced by fp. Reading stops when length bytes have been read or EOF is reached, whichever comes first.
// get contents of a file into a string
$filename = "/usr/local/something.txt";
$fd = fopen( $filename, "r" );
$contents = fread( $fd, filesize( $filename ) );
fclose( $fd );
See also fwrite(), fopen(), fsockopen(), popen(), fgets(), fgetss(), file(), and fpassthru().