[php] How to generate a HTML page dynamically using PHP?

I have a page which displays info about a property, based on the unique ID from the url, searching the mysql database for that ID, getting all the info from that row etc, fairly standard really.

I was wondering if/how I can 'create' a html page for each database row, as I'm assuming this would be better for SEO? Having multiple pages with keywords on rather than one dynamic page?

My properties are added to the database by a form/ upload system on the site, I was thinking creating the page on upload might be easiest, but am open to suggestions!

I've been working kind of similar to this and I have some code that might help you. The live example is here and below, is the code I'm using for you to have it as reference.

create-page.php

<?php

// Session is started.
session_start();

// Name of the template file.
$template_file = 'couples-template.php';

// Root folder if working in subdirectory. Name is up to you ut must match with server's folder.
$base_path = '/couple/';

// Path to the directory where you store the "couples-template.php" file.
$template_path = '../template/';

// Path to the directory where php will store the auto-generated couple's pages.
$couples_path = '../couples/';

// Posted data.
$data['groom-name'] = str_replace(' ', '', $_POST['groom-name']);
$data['bride-name'] = str_replace(' ', '', $_POST['bride-name']);
// $data['groom-surname'] = $_POST['groom-surname'];
// $data['bride-surname'] = $_POST['bride-surname'];
$data['wedding-date'] = $_POST['wedding-date'];
$data['email'] = $_POST['email'];
$data['code'] = str_replace(array('/', '-', ' '), '', $_POST['wedding-date']).strtoupper(substr($data['groom-name'], 0, 1)).urlencode('&').strtoupper(substr($data['bride-name'], 0, 1));

// Data array (Should match with data above's order).
$placeholders = array('{groom-name}', '{bride-name}', '{wedding-date}', '{email}', '{code}');

// Get the couples-template.php as a string.
$template = file_get_contents($template_path.$template_file);

// Fills the template.
$new_file = str_replace($placeholders, $data, $template);

// Generates couple's URL and makes it frendly and lowercase.
$couples_url = str_replace(' ', '', strtolower($data['groom-name'].'-'.$data['bride-name'].'.php'));

// Save file into couples directory.
$fp = fopen($couples_path.$couples_url, 'w');
fwrite($fp, $new_file);
fclose($fp);

// Set the variables to pass them to success page.
$_SESSION['couples_url'] = $couples_url;
// If working in root directory.
$_SESSION['couples_path'] = str_replace('.', '', $couples_path);
// If working in a sub directory.
//$_SESSION['couples_path'] = substr_replace($base_path, '', -1).str_replace('.', '',$couples_path);

header('Location: success.php');

?>

Hope this file can help and work as reference to start and boost your project.

Just in case someone wants to generate/create actual HTML file...

$myFile = "filename.html"; // or .php   
$fh = fopen($myFile, 'w'); // or die("error");  
$stringData = "your html code php code goes here";   
fwrite($fh, $stringData);
fclose($fh);

Enjoy!

As per your requirement you dont have to generate a html page dynamicaly. It can be done by .htaccess file .

Still this is sample code to generate HTML Page

<?php

 $filename = 'test.html';
 header("Cache-Control: public");
 header("Content-Description: File Transfer");
 header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=$filename");
 header("Content-Type: application/octet-stream; ");
 header("Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary");
?>

you can create any .html , .php file just change extention in file name

You dont need to generate any dynamic html page, just use .htaccess file and rewrite the URL.

I suggest you to use URL rewrite mod is enough for your problem,I have the same problem but using URL rewrite mod and getting good SEO response. I can give you a small example. Example is that you consider WordPress , here the data is stored in database but using URL rewrite mod many WordPress websites getting good responses from Google and got rank also.

Example: wordpress url with out url rewrite mod -- domain.com/?p=123 after url rewrite mode -- domain.com/{title of article} like domain.com/seo-url-rewrite-mod

i think you have understood what i want to say you

It looks funny but it works.

<?php 
$file = 'newpage.html';
// Open the file to get existing content
$current = file_get_contents($file);
// Append a new person to the file
$current .= "<!doctype html><html>
<head><meta charset='utf-8'>
<title>new file</title>
</head><body><h3>New HTML file</h3>
</body></html>
";
// Write the contents back to the file
file_put_contents($file, $current);
?>

I'll just update the code to contain the changes, and comment it to so that you can see what's going on clearly...

<?php   
include("templates/header.htm");   

// Set the default name 
$action = 'index'; 
// Specify some disallowed paths 
$disallowed_paths = array('header', 'footer'); 
if (!empty($_GET['action'])) { 
    $tmp_action = basename($_GET['action']); 
    // If it's not a disallowed path, and if the file exists, update $action 
    if (!in_array($tmp_action, $disallowed_paths) && file_exists("templates/{$tmp_action}.htm")) 
        $action = $tmp_action; 
} 
// Include $action 
include("templates/$action.htm"); 

include("templates/footer.htm");