INCLUDE from ROOT?

derekacb

I'm sure there is a very simple answer, but I can't seem to find it documented anywhere. In general, I want to include a file from any sub-directory using the same code (template). Essentially, I thought I could do this:

<? include "/document_header.php" ?>
<? include "/document_footer.php" ?>

and place some content in the middle. It doesn't work... and I don't want to hard-code the path because my development environment (on my machine) is a different platform that the "production" environment (on an ISP).

So, I tried to do this:

<? include $DOCUMENT_ROOT . "/document_header.php" ?>

But it appears that $DOCUMENT_ROOT changes for any location on the site. Literally, the root location of the active file.

Is there a server variable or some syntax that would help me include a file from any point in the Web site that is located at the "root" directory for that site?

I hate to say this, but if this were ASP, then I would just do:

Unfortunately, PHP doesn't execute SSI includes... so I want to use the include() function.

Any help would be a w e s o m e !

😃

DCB

stick_figure

So far as I know, if they don't have something like this at php.net, then it doesn't exist. Although I can guess why you're first attempt didn't work. /whatever should refer to the root of a Unix filesystem, so you wouldn't want to confuse people. Here's a bunch of other predifined variables that could help though: (Although you've probably been here)
http://www.php.net/manual/en/reserved.variables.php

derekacb

Oh well. I guess using relative links in each page isn't that big of a deal, but definitely a bummer that I can't be lazy and cut and paste on any page in any subdirectory for my site, if I use PHP.

Thanks for the link!

statrat

check out the user notes at the php manual on the include directive. lots of suggestions.
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.include.php

this one seemed to cover most of it:

"You can absolute path everything with $DOCUMENT_ROOT

Change the include directory in php.ini

For virtual hosted sites with apache, add
php_value include_dir ".:/path1:/path/two"
inside your <VirtualHost> or <Directory> tags...

[Editor's note: You can even add a 'php_value include_dir ".:/path1:/path/two"' in your .htaccess file, so this solution is also available if you don't have control over the server
--jeroen]

All these options make includes extremely simple.

If you define paths, a simple
include("whatever.inc") will search all the paths, in order, for whatever.inc"

derekacb

Perfect!

Thanks again. I was having the hardest time finding a way to pull this off! I'll give it a try and ... we'll see.