include (../"varDefs.php") does not work?

[scriggs]

I have a file varDefs.php which holds my global variables and file locations and is located in the root of my web space (e:\NewIntranet\varDefs.php).

I have my scripts in a directory called 'scripts' and need to include the varDefs in my script. I have tried:

include ("../varDefs.php");

but it does not seem to work. I get the error
"Warning: mailmergedocument(../../varDefs.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in E:\NewIntranet\scripts\files.inc.php on line 280"

 

[hos2]

and did you make sure that it's written in the same cases ??

so not \Scripts\ or vardefs.php ??

some webservers are case sensitive

 

[scriggs]

Thanks, I have checked the case - this works if I move the varDefs.php to the scripts directory and then remove the '../' element. I assumed PHP does not support '../' but I can't find anthing to confirm/give an alternative.

 

[DRJ478]

If you have a folder that is used for common files to be included I recommend that you add that folder to the include path. That means it will be searched and you need not path info for that file.

set_include_path(get_include_path().PATH_SEPARATOR."/the/path/to/the/include/folder");

After that is set you can just say:
include("varDefs.php");

Also, be aware:

Files for including are first looked in include_path relative to the current working directory and then in include_path relative to the directory of current script. E.g. if your include_path is ., current working directory is /

http://www/,

you included include/a.php and there is include "b.php" in that file, b.php is first looked in /www/ and then in /

http://www/include/.

If filename begins with ../, it is looked only in include_path relative to the current working directory.

 

[scriggs]

Thanks for that DRJ478.

Where do I add the set_include_path? Is this in the PHP document that I am calling from? If so then I may aswell set the full path to the document?

How would I set it? My addresses are:

http://hal/wasp/vardefs.php

OR
e:\WASP\vardefs.php

 

[DRJ478]

It is important to be aware that the include path is from the file system prospective. Sometimes people mix that up with the DOCUMENT_ROOT of the web server, which is different.

I would recommend an include itself that sets these environment parameters. It then should be included first in the script with an absolute path to it.