switch not working correctly

[Nico]

Hey there... I'm probably not using this switch correctly.

I am using this to determine what to include (from a different file)in a table on this page. Here is the code:

 
<? 
switch ($getMsgR) {

case 'small':
include 'variables1.php?m=0&i=0'; 
break;

case 'medium': 
include 'variables1.php?m=0&i=1';
break;

case 'large':
include 'variables1.php?m=0&i=2';
break;

case 'super':
include 'variables1.php?m=0&i=3';

}

the error on the page i get is:
Warning: Failed opening 'variables1.php?m=0&i=0' for inclusion (include_path='.:/php/includes:/usr/share/php') in [virtual server path] on line 126

I've never tried to include page with switch variables on it-- is it possible or am I just wasting my time?

Thanx!

Nico

[LordShryku]

I've never had luck including files with arguements. TRy this instead.

<?  

switch ($getMsgR) { 

case 'small': 
$m = 0;
$i = 0;
break;

case 'medium':  
$m=0;
$i=1; 
break; 

// and so on...
} 
include 'variables.php';

[Nico]

well thats a bummer... thanx for the quick reply tho 🙂 Was thinking about doing that, however I didn't want to include the entire "variables1.php" file if i could keep from it.

Follow up question: if you include a file, the server has to process that entire file and then load the rest of the page correct?

Nico

[LordShryku]

Correct, but calling it with the $_GET variables (?m=o&i=2) will do the same thing. So if you have that file done right, it should only look for the variables you are passing it, do what it has to and skip the rest.

[Nico]

ok cool, so I DON'T want the page to have to process the entire variables1.php-- I only want it to grab the lines it needs. How would I do that? BTW I am doing what you are suggesting and its working great-- thanx 🙂

i.e. so instead of having

include 'variables1.php';

and reading the whole page, how can I have it look only for these variables?

Mainly i'm curious and trying to do something I haven't done before and 2, the variables1.php file will probably end up being fairly large and used over many pages.

Thanx!

Nico

[LordShryku]

Well, on variables.php, you should have something like this...

<?
if($m == 0) {
    if($i == 0) {
        //do everything for the small case
    }
    elseif($i == 1) {
        //do everything for the medium case
    }
    else { 
       //do nothing or error out 
    }
}

This way, it's only going to find what it needs, and move on. I have some include files like this that are thousands of lines of code and render in milliseconds. Not going to be bad at all if you just take the time to do it right 🙂

[Nico]

ok cool... currently my variables1.php file looks like this

switch ($m) {
     case 0:

   switch ($i) {
        case 0:
         print "tons of information";
        break;
        case 1:
         print "tons of info";
        break;
       //this continues for a few more cases
break;

 case 1:          
   switch ($j) {
        case 0:
         print "tons of information";
        break;
        case 1:
         print "tons of info";
        break;
       //this continues for a few more cases

//etc etc etc

you think it'll be ok like that?

Nico

[LordShryku]

Looks okay from here. Give it a shot....

[Nico]

ooo... just ran into a problem.... I use variables1.php in this page twice. It displays everything wherever the include statement is, not where I want now....

It uses the same variable to determine where 2 different things should be placed. the first is:

switch ($getMsgR) {

case 'small':
$m = 0;
$i = 0;
break;

case 'medium': 
$m = 0;
$i = 1;
break;

case 'large':
$m = 0;
$i = 2;
break;

case 'super':
$m = 0;
$i = 3;

}

the second is

switch ($getMsgR) {

case 'small':
$m = 2;
$k = 0;
break;

case 'medium': 
$m = 2;
$k = 1;
break;

case 'large':
$m = 2;
$k = 2;
break;

case 'super':
$m = 2;
$k = 3;

}

and instead of printing the information in the place I want it/ where the code is, it prints on the page wherever the include statement is located.... Any ideas?

Nico

[drawmack]

I could be wrong here, but I don't think I am.

Include will always include the entire file.

It is almost the same thing as if you just coppied the text from one file into the other file using notepad.

That's how includes work in every language.

If you don't want to include the whole file then create other smaller files.

[Nico]

yep yep-- i just mis-coded something... my bad