string gzread(int zp, int length);gzread() reads up to length bytes from the gz-file pointer referenced by zp. Reading stops when length (uncompressed) bytes have been read or EOF is reached, whichever comes first.
// get contents of a gz-file into a string
$filename = "/usr/local/something.txt.gz";
$zd = gzopen( $filename, "r" );
$contents = gzread( $zd, 10000 );
gzclose( $zd );
See also gzwrite(), gzopen(), gzgets(), gzgetss(), gzfile(), and gzpassthru().