Convert a phar archive to a non-executable tar or zip file

# Phar::convertToData

(PHP 5 >= 5.3.0, PHP 7, PHP 8, PECL phar >= 2.0.0)

Phar::convertToData — Convert a phar archive to a non-executable tar or zip file

### Description

public Phar::convertToData(?int `$format` = `null`, ?int `$compression` = `null`, ?string `$extension` = `null`): ?PharData

This method is used to convert an executable phar archive to either a tar or zip file. To make the tar or zip non-executable, the phar stub and phar alias files are removed from the newly created archive.

If no changes are specified, this method throws a BadMethodCallException if the archive is in phar file format. For archives in tar or zip file format, this method converts the archive to a non-executable archive.

If successful, the method creates a new archive on disk and returns a PharData object. The old archive is not removed from disk, and should be done manually after the process has finished.

### Parameters

`format`

  This should be one of `Phar::TAR` or `Phar::ZIP`. If set to `null`, the existing file format will be preserved.

`compression`

  This should be one of `Phar::NONE` for no whole-archive compression, `Phar::GZ` for zlib-based compression, and `Phar::BZ2` for bzip-based compression.

`extension`

  This parameter is used to override the default file extension for a converted archive. Note that `.phar` cannot be used anywhere in the filename for a non-executable tar or zip archive.

  If converting to a tar-based phar archive, the default extensions are `.tar`, `.tar.gz`, and `.tar.bz2` depending on specified compression. For zip-based archives, the default extension is `.zip`.

### Return Values

The method returns a PharData object on success, or `null` on failure.

### Errors/Exceptions

This method throws BadMethodCallException when unable to compress, an unknown compression method has been specified, the requested archive is buffering with Phar::startBuffering() and has not concluded with Phar::stopBuffering(), and a PharException if any problems are encountered during the phar creation process.

### Changelog

Version | Description
--- | ---
8.0.0 | `format`, `compression`, and `extension` are now nullable.

### Examples

Example #1 A Phar::convertToData() example

Using Phar::convertToData():

`<?php
try {
$tarphar = new Phar('myphar.phar.tar');
// note that myphar.phar.tar is *not* unlinked
// convert it to the non-executable tar file format
// creates myphar.tar
$tar = $tarphar->convertToData();
// convert to non-executable zip format, creates myphar.zip
$zip = $tarphar->convertToData(Phar::ZIP);
// create myphar.tbz
$tgz = $tarphar->convertToData(Phar::TAR, Phar::BZ2, '.tbz');
// creates myphar.phar.tgz
$phar = $tarphar->convertToData(Phar::PHAR); // throws exception
} catch (Exception $e) {
// handle the error here
}
?>`

### See Also

- Phar::convertToExecutable() - Convert a phar archive to another executable phar archive file format
- PharData::convertToExecutable() - Convert a non-executable tar/zip archive to an executable phar archive
- PharData::convertToData() - Convert a phar archive to a non-executable tar or zip file

`↑` and `↓` to navigate • `Enter` to select • `Esc` to close • `/` to open