include file problem

Anon

HI all,
I used include to include different sections of the template. But everytime I include a file it always ends with a '1'
http://www.cubicsquare.f2s.com/display.php
<br>
anyone knows how to fix this problem?
Thank you.

Anon

Well what is the code you are using to include this file?

techek

It's just a thought - if you eg. do this :

<?php
echo include("file.html");
?>

.. I'm quite sure you'll get the contents of the "file.html"-file and then a "1" from the include-function. Just a wild guess!

Besides Rob is right - we do like tiny bits of source-code to shuffle around! =8-)

amcgrath

A quick check of your source shows the "1" appearing after the style tag closes. Have you checked to see if a "1" was inadvertently left in the html code?

Anon

I have checked the html code, tried using include("file.html"); include "file.html";
include('file.html');
require("file.html") gives me a zero instead of 1.

What I am doing is basically
$file = include "file.inc";
echo $file;

if you guys need more source code I can send it to you. Thanks

Anon

Well there is your problem. Read up on what include() and require() do. Basically you are putting the status returned from the function include() (1 for true, or found file, or included ok, whatever you want to interpret it as) and printing that out.

Include() and require() put the text that is in the file you are including directly into your current script. So if you are including HTML you will see it by just doing include("myfile.html"); If you are including PHP that prints out "hello world" then doing include("myfile.php") will output hello world to the screen.

See Techeck's answer for a more concise explination.

amcgrath

Dude, if you assign $file to be include "file.inc" and file.inc is succesfully included, well... then $file is going to equal 1.. so when you echo it out, you get a 1. ( you shoulda put this in the first post)

amcgrath

OK, you beat me to it Rob, the guy shoulda put this post first and saved everyone some time.

Anon

thanks alot guys. I knew it was a silly problem, sorry about the trouble.

techek

So what can we all learn from this (Cubicsquare in particular)?

1) When using a "new" function, be sure to check out what it really does using eg. www.php.net/include or www.php.net/<command>

2) Functions doesn't always act the way you expect. "include" includes a file just like that and returns a flag of success where as eg. "substr" returns a string and so on

3) Sourcecode in sensible sizes wanted! When you have a problem with some code, narrow it down a bit, post it and see what happens. But please don't post 100 lines of code since no one "can" control such big parts of code nor have the time to check out so many potential "holes of failure" (unless your first name is Data!)

That's it from me. I hope other people reads this entry ... I love ya all PHPBuilders!! =8-)