Parse HTTP Header from fsockopen with PHP?

I have a script set up that for reasons of necessity gets both the HTTP Response header and then content of a GET request using fsock.

function checkUrl($host,$url,$port) {
$fp = fsockopen($host, $port, $errno, $errstr, 10);
if (!$fp) {
    echo "$errstr ($errno)<br />\n";
} else {
    $out = "GET $url HTTP/1.1\r\n";
    $out .= "Host: $host\r\n";
    $out .= "Connection: Close\r\n\r\n";
    fwrite($fp, $out);
    while (!feof($fp)) {
        $response = fgets($fp, 1024);
        print(substr($response,9,3));
    }
    fclose($fp);
}
}

I call it and get all the proper data back if I simply echo it all out. But actually all I need to return from the function is the HTTP STATUS Code.

i.e. 404 or 200 or 301 etc

But the code above gives the error code sure, but then with a load of gibberish at the end which I don't understand when I have limited to 3 chars!

e.g.

404, 2BM_n: Encype HThe tp-me=srcsrclanstaPre> lanmg=[0][1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10[11[12 swt.i> ypeeleamiize#99eco#66ade#33izeine#CCize { #66izeeig tmardespath=th=th=th=th=th=th=spardeolordeignign bocol widwidwid col bler> td Sorabl> e> rdeolordespath=th=th= bo spardeoloe="lanSen>

Which leads me to believe that my response is actually more complex than just a string right? Something special with the header or am I misunderstanding how fgets is working? Any help much appreciated

Solution

The problem is you are printing out that substring for every block of 1024 characters instead of just the first. The solution is to not do the loop. Change this:

while (!feof($fp)) {
    $response = fgets($fp, 1024);
    print(substr($response,9,3));
}

To just this:

$response = fgets($fp, 1024);
print(substr($response,9,3));

Or even just this, really, since you only need the first 13 characters, not the first 1024:

$response = fgets($fp, 13);
print(substr($response,9,3));