---
product: Chilkat
product_version: 11.7.0
language: phpext
language_label: PHP Extension
class: HtmlToText
class_name: CkHtmlToText
license: bundle
deprecated: false
reference_html: https://www.chilkatsoft.com/refdoc/phpCkHtmlToTextRef.html
---
# Chilkat HtmlToText — PHP Extension — v11.7.0

> Chilkat 11.7.0 · language=phpext · class=HtmlToText (CkHtmlToText)
> Other versions: replace `11.7.0` in this URL. Other languages: `https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/<lang>/classes/HtmlToText.md`.
> Language-wide rules (install, unlock, error model, strings/bytes): `https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/phpext/guide.md`.

## Purpose

**Convert HTML into readable plain text with control over links, wrapping, and encoding.**

`Chilkat.HtmlToText` converts HTML content into readable plain text. It can decode HTML entities, wrap output at a configurable right margin, optionally include or suppress hyperlink URLs, convert HTML supplied as a string or `StringBuilder`, and read or write files using an explicit character encoding.

**HTML to plain text**

Convert HTML markup into readable text suitable for display, logging, indexing, email alternatives, or text-only output.

**Entity decoding**

Decode HTML entities so text such as named entities and numeric character references becomes normal readable output.

**Line wrapping**

Use `RightMargin` to wrap text at a chosen width, or set it to `0` when no right-margin wrapping is wanted.

**Link handling**

Suppress hyperlink URLs for cleaner text, or emit URLs when the output needs to preserve the destination of HTML links.

**StringBuilder support**

Convert HTML directly from a `StringBuilder` when working with larger or incrementally built HTML content.

**File and charset helpers**

Read HTML from files and write text output using a specified character encoding.

**Common pattern:** Provide the HTML as a string, file, or `StringBuilder`, choose whether to decode entities and include link URLs, set the desired right margin, then convert the result to plain text. Use `HtmlToText` when the goal is readable text, not structured XML or DOM-style parsing.

For an extended overview, see [HtmlToText Class Overview](https://www.chilkatsoft.com/htmltotext_class_overview.asp).

## Object creation, unlocking and error handling

**Object Creation**

```php
$obj = new CkHtmlToText();
```

Call `Global.UnlockBundle` once at the start of the program, before using this or any other Chilkat class. Any string unlocks a fully functional 30-day trial; a purchased unlock code is used in production. See `guide.md` for the exact code in PHP Extension.

How failure is reported depends on the method's return type and is stated in the note under each method below. In every case the diagnostic text is in the `LastErrorText` property of the object whose method was called.

## Members common to every Chilkat class

Documented once per language in `common-members.md`; listed here so this page is self-contained.

| Property | Signature | Access | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| `DebugLogFilePath` | `string debugLogFilePath(); void put_DebugLogFilePath(string strVal);` | read/write | If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. |
| `LastErrorHtml` | `(read-only) string lastErrorHtml();` | read-only | Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. |
| `LastErrorText` | `(read-only) string lastErrorText();` | read-only | Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. |
| `LastErrorXml` | `(read-only) string lastErrorXml();` | read-only | Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. |
| `LastMethodSuccess` | `bool get_LastMethodSuccess() void put_LastMethodSuccess(bool boolVal);` | read/write | Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: `true` means success, `false` means failure. |
| `Utf8` | `bool get_Utf8() void put_Utf8(bool boolVal);` | read/write | When set to `true`, all `string` arguments and return values are interpreted as UTF-8 strings. |
| `VerboseLogging` | `bool get_VerboseLogging() void put_VerboseLogging(bool boolVal);` | read/write | If set to `true`, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. |
| `Version` | `(read-only) string version();` | read-only | Version of the component/library, such as "10.1.0" |

## Member index

| Member | Kind | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| `DecodeHtmlEntities` | property, read/write | `bool get_DecodeHtmlEntities() void put_DecodeHtmlEntities(bool boolVal);` |
| `RightMargin` | property, read/write | `int get_RightMargin() void put_RightMargin(int intVal);` |
| `SuppressLinks` | property, read/write | `bool get_SuppressLinks() void put_SuppressLinks(bool boolVal);` |
| `UncommonOptions` | property, read/write | `string uncommonOptions(); void put_UncommonOptions(string strVal);` |
| `ToText` | method | `bool ToText(string $html, CkString outStr); string toText(string html);` |
| `ToTextSb` | method | `bool ToTextSb(CkStringBuilder $sb);` |

Deprecated members are listed at the end of this file with their replacements; do not use them in new code.

## Properties

### HtmlToText.DecodeHtmlEntities

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · phpext · HtmlToText · DecodeHtmlEntities · property · read/write`

```php
bool get_DecodeHtmlEntities()

void put_DecodeHtmlEntities(bool boolVal);
```

Controls whether HTML character references are decoded when converting HTML to plain text. The default value is `true`.

| Value | Behavior |
| :--- | :--- |
| `true` | HTML entities and numeric character references are decoded to their corresponding characters. For example, `&amp;` becomes `&`. |
| `false` | Character references are left encoded in the plain-text output. |

**Typical use:** Leave this property set to `true` when the goal is human-readable text. Set it to `false` when the original entity notation itself must be preserved.

### HtmlToText.RightMargin

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · phpext · HtmlToText · RightMargin · property · read/write`

```php
int get_RightMargin()

void put_RightMargin(int intVal);
```

Controls line wrapping in the generated plain text. The default value is `80`. As a line approaches the configured margin, Chilkat attempts to wrap at a SPACE character. Set this property to `0` to disable right-margin wrapping.

**Soft margin:** The right margin is a preferred wrapping point, not a guaranteed maximum line length. A long sequence with no suitable SPACE character may extend beyond the configured margin.

### HtmlToText.SuppressLinks

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · phpext · HtmlToText · SuppressLinks · property · read/write`

```php
bool get_SuppressLinks()

void put_SuppressLinks(bool boolVal);
```

Controls whether hyperlink destination URLs are included in the generated plain text. The default value is `true`.

| Value | Behavior |
| :--- | :--- |
| `true` | The visible anchor text is retained, but hyperlink destination URLs are omitted. |
| `false` | Hyperlink URLs are included. By default, they are collected in a `References:` section at the end of the plain text. |

For example, with `SuppressLinks` set to `false`, an HTML link whose visible text is `chilkat` and whose URL is `https://www.chilkatsoft.com/` produces the visible text and a numbered reference at the end of the output.

**Related options:** When link URLs are enabled, `UncommonOptions` can be used to suppress the trailing references list with `NoReferencesList` or emit URLs inline with `EmitUrls`.

### HtmlToText.UncommonOptions

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · phpext · HtmlToText · UncommonOptions · property · read/write · since 11.0.0`

```php
string uncommonOptions();

void put_UncommonOptions(string strVal);
```

Specifies uncommon HTML-to-text conversion options as a comma-separated list of keywords. The default is the empty string, which is appropriate for normal use.

| Keyword | Effect |
| :--- | :--- |
| `NoReferencesList` | Does not generate the hyperlink-reference list at the end of the plain-text output. |
| `EmitUrls` | Emits hyperlink URLs inline in the plain-text output instead of relying on the default trailing reference list. |

**Interaction with SuppressLinks:** These options control the presentation of hyperlink URLs when URL output is enabled. If `SuppressLinks` is `true`, hyperlink URLs are suppressed.

## Methods

### HtmlToText.ToText

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · phpext · HtmlToText · ToText · method`

```php
bool ToText(string $html, CkString outStr);

string toText(string html);
```

**Full documentation for this method (same in every language):** [HTML Tables to Plain Text Conversion Gallery](https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/articles/html_table_to_text.md)

Converts the HTML in `html` to readable plain text and returns the result. The conversion honors `DecodeHtmlEntities`, `RightMargin`, `SuppressLinks`, and `UncommonOptions`. HTML markup is interpreted to produce readable text rather than simply being removed with a tag-stripping operation.

**Plain-text conversion:** The output is intended for reading, indexing, logging, email text alternatives, and similar text-oriented uses. It is not intended to preserve the original HTML markup or visual layout exactly.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

### HtmlToText.ToTextSb

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · phpext · HtmlToText · ToTextSb · method · since 9.5.0.97`

```php
bool ToTextSb(CkStringBuilder $sb);
```

Converts the HTML currently contained in `sb` to plain text in place. On success, the same `StringBuilder` contains the converted plain-text result. The conversion honors `DecodeHtmlEntities`, `RightMargin`, `SuppressLinks`, and `UncommonOptions`.

**StringBuilder workflow:** Use this method when the HTML is already held in a `StringBuilder` and you want the conversion result returned through that same object rather than as a separate string.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

## Deprecated members — do not use in new code

| Member | Kind | Deprecated in | Use instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| `ReadFileToString` | method | before 11.6.1 | — |
| `WriteStringToFile` | method | before 11.6.1 | — |

## Related classes

[`StringBuilder`](https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/phpext/classes/StringBuilder.md)