include with html

[benracer]

Hi,
Is it a good idea to use the php include() function for html?

i would like to use include for a menu that will display on all pages.

Thanks

[dougal85]

if the file is only ever going to have HTML then i think file_get_contents is better...

[benracer]

When you say that file_get_contents is better, how is it? there may be some php in there like for the search box i need to find out what browser is being used as ie and ff determin the length differently. Thanks 😃

[dougal85]

if there is going to be some PHP in it then you need to use require or include.

file_get_contents is more efficient since it doesn't parse PHP, it just gets the text to be outputted. You don't want HTML to go through the PHP parser unless its mixed in with PHP.

p.s. i tried the host in your signature - they have been a nightmare. wouldn't ever use them again. I found them to be the opposite of reliable.

[Dawg]

This is interesting, I never heard of file_get_contents. I have always used the include() function.

I have several pages that are put together from .inc files. Some have just html and one with the menu is a mix of css and java.

I'll have to test the file_get_contents() function and see what happens on my test page.