Export Variable to Text File

[cardine]

How do you export a variable value into a text document. I'm trying to write a code where you import the text document (using this code):

$file='/home/user/userlist.txt';
$self=$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];

. Then based on it's value, it shows text. Then it adds 1 to the value of the variable, and it exports it back to the text file. What I'm trying to do is make a counter, and depending on the number of visitors it will say something different. Can somebody help me out on the exporting variable rule (and tell me if my importing rule is correct?)

Thanks!

[NeXT]

I'd use something like this:

<? 
$f=fopen("counter.dat","a+");
flock($f,LOCK_EX); 
$count=fread($f,100);
@$count=$count+1;
ftruncate($f,0);
fwrite($f,$count);
fflush($f);
flock($f,LOCK_UN);
fclose($f);
echo $count;
?>

I'm just learning php but I think this is the simplest script you can get..I may be wrong.