Q:

How to dynamically create an image with a specified number on it?

I have  a place holder image saying something like:
Your rating is:
   [rating here]

My PHP code is supposed to dynamically insert the rating number where there is a blank space left out for it on the placeholder image. How can I do that?

A:

Here's a an example how you could do it - use gd function calls to make your image, but play nice and cache the images. This sample plays even nicer by ensuring that if the browser already has the required image, it returns a 304...
#here's where we'll store the cached images
$cachedir=$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/imgcache/'

#get the score and sanitize it
$score=$_GET['score'];
if (preg_match('/^[0-9]\.[0-9]{1,2}$/', $score)
{
    #figure out filename of cached file
    $file=$cachedir.'score'.$score.'gif';   

    #regenerate cached image
    if (!file_exists($file))
    {
        #generate image - this is lifted straight from the php
        #manual, you'll need to work out how to make your
        #image, but this will get you started

        #load a background image
        $im     = imagecreatefrompng("images/button1.png");

        #allocate color for the text
        $orange = imagecolorallocate($im, 220, 210, 60);

        #attempt to centralise the text  
        $px     = (imagesx($im) - 7.5 * strlen($score)) / 2;
        imagestring($im, 3, $px, 9, $score, $orange);

        #save to cache
        imagegif($im, $file);
        imagedestroy($im);
    }

    #return image to browser, but return a 304 if they already have it
    $mtime=filemtime($file);

    $headers = apache_request_headers(); 
    if (isset($headers['If-Modified-Since']) && 
        (strtotime($headers['If-Modified-Since']) >= $mtime)) 
    {
        // Client's cache IS current, so we just respond '304 Not Modified'.
        header('Last-Modified: '.gmdate('D, d M Y H:i:s', $mtime).' GMT', true, 304);
        exit;
    }

    header('Content-Type:image/gif');
    header('Content-Length: '.filesize($file));
    header('Last-Modified: '.gmdate('D, d M Y H:i:s', $mtime).' GMT');
    readfile($file);

}
else
{
    header("HTTP/1.0 401 Invalid score requested");
}

If you put this in image.php, you would use as follows in an image tag
<img src="image.php?score=5.5" alt="5.5" />

