file location?

xwin

I'm having a problem using fopen on a file from a seperate class.

I have index.php, which invokes class System in system.php, which invokes class Skin in skin.php

Some information first:

ROOT_PATH = ./
CORE_PATH = ./core/
SKIN_PATH = ./skin/

index.php is located in ROOT_PATH
system.php is located in CORE_PATH
skin.php is located in CORE_PATH/lib/

Skin tries to fopen a file at SKIN_PATH."template/1/register.tpl" (which does exist... ./skin/template/1/register.tpl)

but can't... I've tried many variations... Do I need the full nix or windows path or something I don't know about?

Thanks for any help

bpat1434

Well, I'd say you get away from using ".." paths.... You can read a neat little article here entitled "Death to the Dot" by Matt Zandstra.

Basically, in the entire thing he says that if you add your path to the "include_path" PHP parameter, then you can just say: include('file/from/root/of/your/script.php') and PHP will search for your script.

Not sure if it will work with fopen and all, but I'm pretty sure it will.

Otherwise, you can always use the age-old method of $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] and go from there....

xwin

Thanks, I'm now setting ROOT_PATH to the absolute root, then loading everything from that...

I'm wondering though will this make a significant difference in load times? Some files I can load with ./filename no problem (it's just the ..'s that are the problem)...

bpat1434

yeah.. ..'s can be a problem. You don't have to specify it from the root-path each time. Remember that PHP will check the current working directory (where the script is being executed from) first, before the PHP includes. So by you defining ROOT_PATH and then including files using it is kind of redundant isn't it?

xwin

yeah, but I want to keep things consistent...

i.e., not sometimes using the absolute path and others just using ./file.php etc.