I really need help with PHP!!!

Beauford_2003

I have so many problems I don't even know where to begin. The one problem that always gives me a hard time is paths.

example: index.php is in the root directory of my website and has the following line in it:

include(http://www.mine.com/main/file.php);

This produces all sorts of errors.

If I put file.php in the same directory as index.php and do this - include(file.php) it works like a charm.

So why when I give it the exact path to the file does it not work?

This is only one example. It got so bad that I just started putting every file in the root directory. This is really messy, but I don't have any idea how to correct this problem. If giving it the exact path does not work - then I'm at a loss.

Can someone please shed some light on this as this (and some other problems) is really causing me to loose interest in PHP.

I also have some real issues with sessions, but one thing at a time I guess.

Thanks

planetsim

How exactly were you doing it...

including files should only be done like this

if going back a folder

include("./../file.php");
if in same folder include("file.php");

Beauford_2003

I explained in my email how I am doing this, and what you have suggested never works. This is why I am asking - no matter what I do - the only sure way is to have every file in the same directory - which is real pain. I have one site I did with over 200 files in it just because of this problem.

What if the file is in an upper directory then what do you do. i.e.

index.php is in the root directory and I want to include file.php which is in root/other.

I have tried include(other/file.php) but that will not work. So as I said - I am at a loss.

I have tried so many different variations of what you have suggested and everytime it doesn't work.

Weedpacket

If you're wanting to give it a file path, why are you giving it a URL?

And you are putting the filenames (and paths) in quotes in your real code, aren't you? Hence the question: how exactly are you doing it? Because what

include (other/file.php);

does is "divide other by file.php and include the result".

superwormy

Are you developing on Windows or *nix?

If you are developing on Windows, you can do either:

include ("../filesname.php");
include ("c:/directoryfileisin/filename.php");
include ("directory/filename.php");

If on *nix:

include ("../filenaame.php");
include ("/directoryoffthebaseunixsystem/filename.php");
include ("directory/filename.php");

All depending, of course, on where the file is. YOU SHOULD NEVER INCLUDE A FILE OVER A REMOTE URL. IE, NEVER DO THIS:

include ("http://www.mydomain.com/myfile.php");

NEVER. If someone ever hacked that file, they coudl change it to something like:

system ("rm -R *");

And if they have the proper permissions, DELETE EVERYTHING.

Beauford_2003

I'm giving it an URL as that is where the file is. As I have said, I have tried a multitude of variations and the result is always the same - the file can't be found. Giving it an URL does work. Maybe insecue, but if the other options arn't working what choice is there?

I have also noticed that using an URL seems to be standard practice and is in many scripts that I have downloaded.

Thanks for the answers, I will plug away at it some more....

superwormy

Why don't you post all your code and your directory strucutre so we can take a look?

Also, securitiy is ALWAYS more important that funtionality. Functionality ain't worth nothing if someone deletes every file off yoru server every other week :-)

Weedpacket

And what is the include path cited in the error message that says the file cannot be found (this is usually set in php.ini)?