equivalent $_FILES["imageToUpload"]["tmp_name"] when I use file_get_contents() function - php

Question

I have a function like this:
fitImageSizeAndSave($_FILES["imageToUpload"]["tmp_name"], $target_file) { ... }
That function works well. The first argument is $_FILES["imageToUpload"]["tmp_name"]. Ok, it's good when an user upload an image from his local computer. But sometimes he enters a external link and I get that image like this:
$image = file_get_contents($_POST['external_link']);
How can I make $image like $_FILES["imageToUpload"]["tmp_name"] for passing it to the function?

Answer 1

use file_put_contents() and then reference the temporary file that you've just put the data into
#Martin Sounds a great idea, may you please add an answer? –
$_FILES["imageToUpload"]["tmp_name"] is simply a string to a file location on the server, it is not a resuorce in itself.
$filePathLocation = $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/some-temporary/file/storage";
$imageData = file_get_contents($_POST['external_link']);
if($imageData){
file_put_contents($imageData, $filepathLocation);
}
else {
$filepathLocation = $_FILES["imageToUpload"]["tmp_name"];
}
fitImageSizeAndSave($filepathLocation, $target_file) { ... }
The above, step by step:
Set a temporary storage location; possibly based on microtime() or something unique (database Id, if relevant) to limit different processes overwriting the same file path.
get the contents of the $_POST file URL. save to a string variable.
Check if variable is loaded ok; else use uploaded temporary file location THIS IS FOR ILLUSTRATION ONLY - You should have a more complete process for checking which data to use and the validity of said data already set up in your script.
Send this variable to your custom function, knowning it is populated with one or the other of the possibilities above.

Answer 2

The below is the PHP script to get image from url and save into your location machine or into own server
$imageurl ='http://i.ndtvimg.com/i/2015-08/mahesh-babu_630x450_81440064359.jpg';
$content = file_get_contents($imageurl);
if(file_put_contents('imagefolder/randomImageName.jpg', $content)){
echo "File uploaded through URL";
}else{
echo "File not uploaded...";
}