Passing variables into an "include" file

calvinmickle

I am attempting to build a template page that contains content called by using the include construct. I would like the links in this include page to contain tracking variables "exploded" from the URL. One of these variables will be be used in a link on each page, and the other will be used in a single link on a later page.

I have been attempting to use Session variables, but have recently begun to wonder if these variables can be passed to an "include" file. I have tried using the session functions in upper and lowercase without any results, I have tried starting or not starting the session on the include page, I have tried calling the variables without the session function, etc. I'm lost, and have only a few days experience with this type of thing. Can anyone help, please?

Here is the code I have been using in a page called "wrapper.php" -

Many thanks.
<?
session_start();
header("Cache-control: private");
session_register("var0");
session_register("var1");
session_register("var2");
$URL_data = explode("/", getenv("REQUEST_URI"));
$session['var0'] = $URL_data[0] ;
$session['var1'] = $URL_data[1] ;
$_session['var2'] = $URL_data[2] ;
?>

and later in the same file -

<?php echo "Your session ID is: " . session_id();?> 
<?php Empty Field? = <?php echo $var0;?> 
<?php Affiliate Num? = <?php echo $var1;?> 
<?php Landing Page? = <?php echo $var2;?> 
<?php include "http://mydomain.com/mycontent.php";?>

The following is contained in my page mycontent.php -

<?php
session_start();
?>
<?php echo 'Empty Array = ' . $session["var0"];?> 
<?php echo 'Affiliate Number = ' . $session["var1"];?> 
<?php echo 'Page Requested = ' . $_session["var2"];?> 
The file <?php echo $REQUEST_URI;?> was requested

All of the variables are populated except the three session variables on the mycontent.php page. I have used the form shown above, and I have called the vriable in the normal manner, as in $var1 or $var2. Neither gave a result.

Will it be possible to use these variables in this manner? If so, what do I need to change?

Many thanks.

laserlight

Use sessions and the $_SESSION superglobal array just as you would if the included file contents were copied and pasted into your main file.

devinemke

i think you are overcomplicating this. it appears that all you are ultimately trying to do is use some GET variables in you template. let's say we point our browser to:

http://www.calvinmickle.com/index.php?var1=PHP&var2=is&var3=fun

and here's our index.php:

<?php
echo '
var1 = ' . $_GET['var1'] . '<br>
var2 = ' . $_GET['var2'] . '<br>
var3 = ' . $_GET['var3'];

// output:
// var1 = PHP
// var2 = is
// var3 = fun
?>

i don't see why you need sessions at all for this.

calvinmickle

Hello LaserLight -

That seemed correct to me also, but it didn't work. Could there be a setting that my ISP/host needs to change in the php.ini file?

Hello devinmke -

The URL that comes to the browser is http://mydomain/#####/aaaaa where #'s are digits and a's are alphabetical. In order to keep the URL easy to read, the URL is processed bt the RewriteRule in the .htaccess file to send the user to http://mydomain/wrapper.php and the URL http://mydomain/#####/aaaaa is shown in the visitors browser.

The two variables are exploded from the URL in the browser, and the alphabetical one is used to call the include file, while both need to be tracked for later when the visitor performs an action so we can identify the affiliate source (the number) and the landing page (the alphabetic).

I don't know how to use the query string to call the include file (I've only been at this PHP coding for three days), and for the comfort of the visitor and their later return to the site, I want to use the $REQUEST_URI that I originally received.

Can you advise more?

mtmosier

<?php include "http://mydomain.com/mycontent.php";?><br>

Looks like you're including the file via a url. I'm assuming this is the included file in question. Here's what the manual says about this:

[...] you can specify the file to be included using a URL [...] instead of a local pathname. If the target server interprets the target file as PHP code, variables may be passed to the included file using a URL request string as used with HTTP GET. This is not strictly speaking the same thing as including the file and having it inherit the parent file's variable scope; the script is actually being run on the remote server and the result is then being included into the local script.

If both scripts are on the same server, then you could in theory use session variables. But then if they were on the same server you'd likely not be including via a url. Anyway, even if they were on the same server trying to negotiate the session would be a pain. Passing the variables via the url is the easier method.

So you could include it like this:

<?php include 'http://mydomain.com/mycontent.php?var0='.urlencode($var0).'&var1='.urlencode($var1).'&var2='.urlencode($var2); ?><br>

And then in mycontent.php do

<?php echo 'Empty Array = ' . $_GET['var0'];?><br>
<?php echo 'Affiliate Number = ' . $_GET['var1'];?><br>
<?php echo 'Page Requested = ' . $_GET['var2'];?><br>

calvinmickle

That was it!

They are on the same server, and I didn't know how to call the file correctly. Removed the absolute reference, which I always try to do in my HTML because I know squat about web stuff, and the variables passed in several incarnations.

I wrote my first PHP script (the "explode" function shown in the original post), three days ago, learned how call the include page two days ago, how to put the variables into the session yesterday, and the difference between using an absolute path and a relative path today.

Tomorrow, I learn how to read the manual.

Many, many thanks.

Roger_Ramjet

Originally posted by calvinmickle
That was it!

Removed the absolute reference, which I always try to do in my HTML because I know squat about web stuff,

Just a note. Try to always use relative addressing: "images/logo.gif" not "http://mydomain.com/mainsite/images/logo.gif" It makes your code much more flexible, portable and reuseable.