Including a file in a class method - what is the filepath relative to?

Novic

If I include a script in a class method, what is the file path that the includes is relative to?

Is it:
1) the location of the class's file?
2) the location of the script that called the class's method?
3) the location of the script that first called the class's method? (in the case that you have an object that includes another object and so on, so that an object far down the line of objects created is the one that has an includes. Sorry if this is confusing... but it is something like $object = new Object1(new Object2(new Object3)); and so on. If Object 3 includes a file, what is the includes relative to?
4) somewhere else?

traq

It's all there in The Friendly Manual.

NogDog

If you use a nice combination of include_path and __autoload() definitions along with a consistent, logical directory structure, you don't have to worry about it. 🙂

Novic

NogDog;11038281 wrote:
If you use a nice combination of include_path and __autoload() definitions along with a consistent, logical directory structure, you don't have to worry about it. 🙂

I'm working on that but still doing includes in the meantime.

I read the manual page linked to but as far as I can see, it does not give specifics about what happens when an includes is made in various situations like those I described above. Keep in mind I am not asking how includes work, but instead asking what the relative path will be when an includes is called in different contexts (in OP). On that note, I am now curious what the path will be when an includes is made within an included file. I'd like a general set of rules I could learn so I don't have to use getcwd() each time.

bradgrafelman

Rule #1: The include path is always relative to the current working directory.
Rule #2: Including a file does not change the current working directory.

EDIT:
Rule #3: If the path does not begin with "." or "/" (i.e., it begins with just a bare file or directory name), Rule #1 will be augmented such that the include_path is used, then the directory of the calling script, then the current working directory.

Novic

Thanks bradgrafelman. For my understanding though, is the current working directory always going to be the place the first script was called? So if you have a front controller that systematically includes many files in many directories based on a user's request, will the current working directory always be / (or htdocs/)?

NogDog

Novic;11038323 wrote:
Thanks bradgrafelman. For my understanding though, is the current working directory always going to be the place the first script was called? So if you have a front controller that systematically includes many files in many directories based on a user's request, will the current working directory always be / (or htdocs/)?

Basically, yes. Just remember that it will be a local filesystem path for includes, not a web path, so it's likely going to be something like '/var/www/' or '/home/users/nogdog/htdocs/', or wherever your web root directory actually is on the server.

bpat1434

This is why relative paths are problematic. I always find it easier to use [man]realpath[/man]([man]dirname/man . '../../../../my_include.php'); to get the proper include file.

Or do as NogDog suggested and use autoloading.