include() question

MatrixGL

I have these two files:

includes.php

Contains the database information, and also performs a few queries (such as to retrive forum information, basic site configurations). Also initiates a database connection.

functions.php

Contains the custom functions that are used in almost every page of the site.

footer.php

Closes the database connection.

Now, whenever I make a new page, I always include INCLUDES.PHP and FUNCTIONS.PHP on top and FOOTER.PHP at the bottom.

Now, my question is, when the user changes pages, does the above files get included again? Does that mean that the INCLUDS.PHP performs all those queries again?

If so, should I use include_once() or require() instead?

Or have like a page where i include all those files, and include the pages that actually changes?

Like display.php?show=news.php

But in that case, news.php also has a query string, so I dont think I can display something like display.php
?show=news.php?id=23

Thanks!

dalecosp

Originally posted by MatrixGL
Now, whenever I make a new page, I always include INCLUDES.PHP and FUNCTIONS.PHP on top and FOOTER.PHP at the bottom.

Now, my question is, when the user changes pages, does the above files get included again? Does that mean that the INCLUDS.PHP performs all those queries again?

If so, should I use include_once() or require() instead?

PHP seems horrifying to some programmers who have come from a background in compiled languages (C, for example).

PHP recompiles each script every time it's requested.

So, if you're doing a database query to grab site configuration information, and the file that does this is includ()ed on every page (say in a header), then, yes, you are querying the db on every page load.

It's really not so horrible; it's the way it is. But it might be nice, if you're, say, running a very large operation, or have a really slow database host, or maybe pay your host on a per-query basis (which I've never heard of, but whatever) to figure out some other way to do it.

There are several mechanisms in which config information could be stored. However, if you have a good, quick database, I'm not sure how much you'd gain from attempting to use them instead. That's the domain of "efficiency experts" and such like....

devinemke

Originally posted by MatrixGL
Now, my question is, when the user changes pages, does the above files get included again?

yes

Originally posted by MatrixGL
Does that mean that the INCLUDS.PHP performs all those queries again?

yes

Originally posted by MatrixGL
If so, should I use include_once() or require() instead?

no, include_once is only used if you are worried about function redefinitions etc...

if you need all of those fucntions/variables/queries for every page then you need to call them for every page. you could store data in a session if you are worried about hitting the database on every page request.

MatrixGL

Thank you very much for the replies 🙂

Well, if I use sessions, or an XML file for that matter, would it "significantly" reduce the load time? (I have about 6-8 queries on average (22 on the front page) executing on each page)

The reason why I am so concerned is because the site is image-heavy, so I dont want to slow it down even more with more things to process.

Also, I am afraid of the database server going offline when there are too many people on.

I am thinking about storing all the site variables in an XML file, and fetch the variables from there. Would it be better that way?

dalecosp

Sessions are pretty transparent and pretty darn fast. I wouldn't worry about it in terms of load time (and actually, you mean "compile time" or "serving time").

On this subject, I have a site where I have this:

// start of "timing" routine (page loaded in $x seconds stuff)

function microtime_float() {
   list($usec, $sec) = explode(" ", microtime());
   return ((float)$usec + (float)$sec);
}

$startexecution=microtime_float();

in every header. And, of course, in the footer:

<?
$endexecution=microtime_float();
$timer=$endexecution-$startexecution;

?>

&copy; 2003-<?=date("Y"); ?>  by ME.  All rights reserved.
Page rendered in <?=$timer ?> seconds.

You could try your different methods with a trick like that, I guess....

Mobius

Here is some good info about include_once and the likes...