[RESOLVED] Should I be constructing my link like this?

chrisguk

Hi,

With my knowledge of PHP improving by the day I question myself regarding the construction of my pages links. I am guessing there is no right or wrong way and probably many people do it their own way.

This what I have:

<li><a href="<?php echo $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']; ?>/about"><strong>5</strong><em>about</em></a></li>

<li><a href="<?php echo $url; ?>/about"><strong>5</strong><em>about</em></a></li>

Is there a more efficient way. Of for the record the variable $url is equal to a value stored in the database, for example = http://www.example.com

NogDog

$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] will include everything in the URI, including query string name=value pairs -- not just the "http://domain.com/name" -- but I don't know if that's what you really want in this case or not?

chrisguk

All I am trying to achieve is to ensure the links are all dynamic so as the site grows I dont have to adjust each link one by one.

dalecosp

Well, do you expect $url to change? And, if so, why?

"/about" isn't a variable, but you probably don't want those things to change, anyway; after all, Cool URI's don't change...

chrisguk

You are correct that isnt the result I would want.

the variable $url only relates to the main URL = http://www.example.com.

The only reason it would change is whether it was in my dev environment or not = http://test.com

I guess I am just ensuring that the files always resolve to the correct place without any hard coding. So something like this:

/include
/js
/css
images/home
images/anotherfolder

Will always know what the base URL is.

I apologise if I am talking in riddles, my terminology experience is not great as yet. But I hope you are understand me?

NogDog

Usually I just define a constant in a config file for the base URL, then use that.

config file:

<?php
define(BASE_URL, 'http://domain.com/app_dir/');

usage:

<a href='<?php echo BASE_URL;?>page.php?arg=value'>link text</a>

Derokorian

NogDog;11003371 wrote:
Usually I just define a constant in a config file for the base URL, then use that.

config file:
<?php
define(BASE_URL, 'http://domain.com/app_dir/');
usage:
<a href='<?php echo BASE_URL;?>page.php?arg=value'>link text</a>

Exactly what I do as well, except that I use URL instead of BASE_URL heh.

Bonesnap

Derokorian;11003373 wrote:
Exactly what I do as well, except that I use URL instead of BASE_URL heh.

ALL YOUR BASE_URL ARE BELONG TO US!

chrisguk

Would it be possible to define a constant based on a db value:

Define(BASE_URL, url);

URL being the database value, not sure of the syntax for this ?

chrisguk

Well i am building a content management backend to take away the need to edit any of the files directly in the future

chrisguk

You have made a valid point Brad, I will define it in a config file as suggested in an earlier post.

Derokorian

I think his point was more towards the fact that PHP can edit files. So you can save the changed configuration in a file rather than a DB when its more appropriate. Also if you get a DB connection error, then you won't be able to fetch to url to make the links work on your error page =D