includes and paths and organization

Hi all,

Trying to work out a few problems in using php on my site. Partially
this is a html question. I was reading a lot of the posts and it seems
that some of the includes people are using are very complicated because
of sessions or id's and variables I don't really know. So...

Right now i use php for includes and getting some lists I make using
mySQL and phpmyadmin and can get those out without error. For the most
part a lot of my files were in the main directory with my index.php
like header.php and footer.php but I just realized when I use these
header and footer files from a different directory the paths are wrong.
I was doing the includes like:
Links are good
Links are bad
Links are bad
The linked file in the header file would be at the same level as index
but now as I have added pages I have made folders to keep things
organized. My goal is to call my header or footer file from any level
folder from an includes folder.
being called from collies in
mysite/pets/dogs or whatever.

My solution is to make the link the full path with http://mysite.com
and so on so regardless of where the header is called from the link is
good. I always thought that relative paths are used within a site and
full paths to link outside. My solution will work but I think there is
a better way.

So should I have my include files at the same level as my index file?
or in a folder?
Use full path?
And should these include files use a .inc extension instead of php?

Sorry this is a bit long for such a simple topic but I have to get
organized. :)

thx..ron

Re: includes and paths and organization

Ron wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Trying to work out a few problems in using php on my site. Partially
> this is a html question. I was reading a lot of the posts and it seems
> that some of the includes people are using are very complicated because
> of sessions or id's and variables I don't really know. So...
>
> Right now i use php for includes and getting some lists I make using
> mySQL and phpmyadmin and can get those out without error. For the most
> part a lot of my files were in the main directory with my index.php like
> header.php and footer.php but I just realized when I use these header
> and footer files from a different directory the paths are wrong. I was
> doing the includes like:
> Links are good
> Links are bad
> Links are bad
> The linked file in the header file would be at the same level as index
> but now as I have added pages I have made folders to keep things
> organized. My goal is to call my header or footer file from any level
> folder from an includes folder.
> being called from collies in
> mysite/pets/dogs or whatever.
>

Yes, this happens when you use relative paths.

> My solution is to make the link the full path with http://mysite.com and
> so on so regardless of where the header is called from the link is good.
> I always thought that relative paths are used within a site and full
> paths to link outside. My solution will work but I think there is a
> better way.
>

A terrible way to do it. It makes another request to the server,
increasing network traffic and server load. You won't be able to
include anything other than HTML, because any PHP code will be parsed
before you get the page. And you won't be able to hide it in a private
directory, inaccessible other than through your other pages.

> So should I have my include files at the same level as my index file? or
> in a folder?
> Use full path?
> And should these include files use a .inc extension instead of php?
>
> Sorry this is a bit long for such a simple topic but I have to get
> organized. :)
>
> thx..ron
>
>
>
>

Use absolute paths. $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] gives you the absolute
path to your website's root directory.


--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================

Re: includes and paths and organization

In our last episode, <2007092500072816807-PostInGroups@wherevercom>, the
lovely and talented Ron broadcast on comp.lang.php:

> My solution is to make the link the full path with http://mysite.com
> and so on so regardless of where the header is called from the link is
> good. I always thought that relative paths are used within a site and
> full paths to link outside. My solution will work but I think there is
> a better way.

There is. Write a php function to calculate relative paths.

--
Lars Eighner
Countdown: 483 days to go.
What do you do when you're debranded?

Re: includes and paths and organization

Ron wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Trying to work out a few problems in using php on my site. Partially
> this is a html question. I was reading a lot of the posts and it seems
> that some of the includes people are using are very complicated because
> of sessions or id's and variables I don't really know. So...
>
> Right now i use php for includes and getting some lists I make using
> mySQL and phpmyadmin and can get those out without error. For the most
> part a lot of my files were in the main directory with my index.php like
> header.php and footer.php but I just realized when I use these header
> and footer files from a different directory the paths are wrong. I was
> doing the includes like:
> Links are good
> Links are bad
> Links are bad
> The linked file in the header file would be at the same level as index
> but now as I have added pages I have made folders to keep things
> organized. My goal is to call my header or footer file from any level
> folder from an includes folder.
> being called from collies in
> mysite/pets/dogs or whatever.
>
> My solution is to make the link the full path with http://mysite.com and
> so on so regardless of where the header is called from the link is good.
> I always thought that relative paths are used within a site and full
> paths to link outside. My solution will work but I think there is a
> better way.
>
> So should I have my include files at the same level as my index file? or
> in a folder?
> Use full path?
> And should these include files use a .inc extension instead of php?
>
> Sorry this is a bit long for such a simple topic but I have to get
> organized. :)
>
> thx..ron
>
>

Hi Ron,

In addition to what Jerry and Lars wrote:

I prefer making one or two directories where I store my includes, and
simply add them to the include path. This makes things easy to manage.

You can use ini_set, eg:
$newIncludePath =
get_include_path().PATH_SEPARATOR.'/home/bla/public_html/inc ludes';

ini_set("include_path",$newIncludePath);


You only need 1 file you include everywhere in all your scripts that
contains this, and you are fine.
If you ever move your directorytree, just adjust the path.

Now you can simply include everything that is stored under
/home/bla/public_html/includes, and also its subdirectories (if you name
them during your include).


Regards,
Erwin Moller

Re: includes and paths and organization

On 2007-09-25 03:49:42 -0700, Jerry Stuckle said:

>> as I have added pages I have made folders to keep things organized. My
>> goal is to call my header or footer file from any level folder from an
>> includes folder.
>> being called from collies in
>> mysite/pets/dogs or whatever.
>>
>
> Yes, this happens when you use relative paths.
>
>> My solution is to make the link the full path with http://mysite.com
>> and so on so regardless of where the header is called from the link is
>> good. I always thought that relative paths are used within a site and
>> full paths to link outside. My solution will work but I think there is
>> a better way.
>>
>
> A terrible way to do it. It makes another request to the server,
> increasing network traffic and server load. You won't be able to
> include anything other than HTML, because any PHP code will be parsed
> before you get the page. And you won't be able to hide it in a private
> directory, inaccessible other than through your other pages.
>
>> So should I have my include files at the same level as my index file?
>> or in a folder?
>> Use full path?
>> And should these include files use a .inc extension instead of php?
>>
>> Sorry this is a bit long for such a simple topic but I have to get
>> organized. :)
>>
>> thx..ron
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> Use absolute paths. $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] gives you the absolute
> path to your website's root directory.

Thanks Jerry,

I changed the links to ful paths temporarily. Heavier sever load is
better than bad links.

I wrote an echo statement for the above line and found out my site
isn't where I thought it was on my iMac. So I stuck it in my header
file and did an upload to my real site and it gave me:
/home/mysite/public_html Ths is correct and to my surprise worked when
i wrote it into my include. This is a shared host and I'm sure a common
setup so any security concerns here?
Also worked
which is what I think I'm really after.

Before i do a mass find and replace anything else I should know?

Thanks so much for the help.

Ron

Re: includes and paths and organization

On 2007-09-25 04:20:26 -0700, Lars Eighner said:

> In our last episode, <2007092500072816807-PostInGroups@wherevercom>, the
> lovely and talented Ron broadcast on comp.lang.php:
>
>> My solution is to make the link the full path with http://mysite.com
>> and so on so regardless of where the header is called from the link is
>> good. I always thought that relative paths are used within a site and
>> full paths to link outside. My solution will work but I think there is
>> a better way.
>
> There is. Write a php function to calculate relative paths.

Lars,

Used Jerry's doc root suggestion which gave me:


Works fine.

Sorry to hear about the Gucci incident. Like your site.

Thanks,
Ron

Re: includes and paths and organization

On 2007-09-25 04:31:14 -0700, Erwin Moller
said:

>
>
> Hi Ron,
>
> In addition to what Jerry and Lars wrote:
>
> I prefer making one or two directories where I store my includes, and
> simply add them to the include path. This makes things easy to manage.
>
> You can use ini_set, eg:
> $newIncludePath =
> get_include_path().PATH_SEPARATOR.'/home/bla/public_html/inc ludes';
>
> ini_set("include_path",$newIncludePath);
>
>
> You only need 1 file you include everywhere in all your scripts that
> contains this, and you are fine.
> If you ever move your directorytree, just adjust the path.
>
> Now you can simply include everything that is stored under
> /home/bla/public_html/includes, and also its subdirectories (if you
> name them during your include).
>
>
> Regards,
> Erwin Moller

Not sure I understand this.
Make an includes directory and put my header and footer in there plus
any other file I make that will be includes. I can see in your example
how this is working.

Is ini_set in my php.ini? (I don't really like to mess with this.)

So instead of:

I would use?

or:
???

If Jerry's way works, what is the advantage?

Really appreciate the help. I have a PHP MySQL book by sams and the
don't really get into this.

Thanks for te hlp.
Ron

Re: includes and paths and organization

Confused but working on it wrote:
> On 2007-09-25 03:49:42 -0700, Jerry Stuckle said:
>
>>> as I have added pages I have made folders to keep things organized.
>>> My goal is to call my header or footer file from any level folder
>>> from an includes folder.
>>> being called from collies in
>>> mysite/pets/dogs or whatever.
>>>
>>
>> Yes, this happens when you use relative paths.
>>
>>> My solution is to make the link the full path with http://mysite.com
>>> and so on so regardless of where the header is called from the link
>>> is good. I always thought that relative paths are used within a site
>>> and full paths to link outside. My solution will work but I think
>>> there is a better way.
>>>
>>
>> A terrible way to do it. It makes another request to the server,
>> increasing network traffic and server load. You won't be able to
>> include anything other than HTML, because any PHP code will be parsed
>> before you get the page. And you won't be able to hide it in a
>> private directory, inaccessible other than through your other pages.
>>
>>> So should I have my include files at the same level as my index file?
>>> or in a folder?
>>> Use full path?
>>> And should these include files use a .inc extension instead of php?
>>>
>>> Sorry this is a bit long for such a simple topic but I have to get
>>> organized. :)
>>>
>>> thx..ron
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Use absolute paths. $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] gives you the absolute
>> path to your website's root directory.
>
> Thanks Jerry,
>
> I changed the links to ful paths temporarily. Heavier sever load is
> better than bad links.
>
> I wrote an echo statement for the above line and found out my site isn't
> where I thought it was on my iMac. So I stuck it in my header file and
> did an upload to my real site and it gave me:
> /home/mysite/public_html Ths is correct and to my surprise worked when i
> wrote it into my include. This is a shared host and I'm sure a common
> setup so any security concerns here?
> Also worked
> which is what I think I'm really after.
>
> Before i do a mass find and replace anything else I should know?
>
> Thanks so much for the help.
>
> Ron
>

Nope, the beautiful thing is it works on any server where PHP is loaded
as a non-cgi.

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================

Re: includes and paths and organization

Confused but working on it wrote:
> On 2007-09-25 04:31:14 -0700, Erwin Moller
> said:
>
>>
>>
>> Hi Ron,
>>
>> In addition to what Jerry and Lars wrote:
>>
>> I prefer making one or two directories where I store my includes, and
>> simply add them to the include path. This makes things easy to manage.
>>
>> You can use ini_set, eg:
>> $newIncludePath =
>> get_include_path().PATH_SEPARATOR.'/home/bla/public_html/inc ludes';
>>
>> ini_set("include_path",$newIncludePath);
>>
>>
>> You only need 1 file you include everywhere in all your scripts that
>> contains this, and you are fine.
>> If you ever move your directorytree, just adjust the path.
>>
>> Now you can simply include everything that is stored under
>> /home/bla/public_html/includes, and also its subdirectories (if you
>> name them during your include).
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> Erwin Moller
>

Hi,

> Not sure I understand this.

Lets work on that then. :)

> Make an includes directory and put my header and footer in there plus
> any other file I make that will be includes. I can see in your example
> how this is working.

Yep.

>
> Is ini_set in my php.ini? (I don't really like to mess with this.)

No, ini_set is a way to OVERRULE whatever there is in php.ini.
You cannot overrule anything, but some things, like this, you can
overrule on a PER SCRIPT basis.

Read more here:
http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.ini-set.php
and here:
http://us2.php.net/manual/en/ini.php#ini.list

Bottomline: You are not changing php.ini settings.


>
> So instead of:
>
> I would use?
>

No. That is NOT what I ment.

Assuming you have a file that you include in each and every script.
This means that you include this file using ../ or ../../ or whatever
from each directory, so you are sure it is included. You have to do this
only once per file.

Now, in this include you use ini_set("include_path", .... ) as I described.

From now on you can simply include ANYTHING you cared to add to the
include path WITHOUT having to mess with its location, because it php
will always look for the file in the include_path.

So instead of using:

.... your PHP code
include("../../includes/myFooter.php");

you just say:
include("myFooter.php");

assuming that you placed myFooter.php into the includesdir.


> or:
> ???
>
> If Jerry's way works, what is the advantage?

Jerry uses $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].
Which is perfectly OK.

But you have to use that $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] every time you want
to include something.
I don't like that, that is why do it a different way, and thought I let
you know more options exists (as always).


>
> Really appreciate the help. I have a PHP MySQL book by sams and the
> don't really get into this.

Just test around a little.
It is perfectly normal to not get this immediately, simply because it is
confusing. ;-)

PS: If you already implemented it in the way Jerry suggested, and you
understand it that way: good, keep it like that. Most important thing
about coding is that YOU understand what is happening.


>
> Thanks for te hlp.
> Ron
>

Good luck.

Regards,
Erwin Moller

Re: includes and paths and organization

Erwin Moller writes:


> I prefer making one or two directories where I store my includes, and
> simply add them to the include path. This makes things easy to manage.
>
> You can use ini_set, eg:
> $newIncludePath =
> get_include_path().PATH_SEPARATOR.'/home/bla/public_html/inc ludes';
>
> ini_set("include_path",$newIncludePath);
>
>
> You only need 1 file you include everywhere in all your scripts that
> contains this, and you are fine.
> If you ever move your directorytree, just adjust the path.
>
> Now you can simply include everything that is stored under
> /home/bla/public_html/includes, and also its subdirectories (if you
> name them during your include).
>

I would vote for Erwin's solution since it will give you
much more flexibility in include location. Readup on "include_path"
in on the php web site; also, some people may now know that you can use
relative paths in the include_path directive, so this is okay:

include_path = ".:lib:../lib:../../lib"

NOTE, the "." is added first since the normal PHP use of the include_path
is to search the include_path FIRST, if the file is not found along those
paths, look in the default dir (which is usually what you might not expect).

Hope this helps.

--
John
____________________________________________________________ _______
John Murtari Software Workshop Inc.
jmurtari@following domain 315.635-1968(x-211) "TheBook.Com" (TM)
http://thebook.com/

Re: includes and paths and organization

On 2007-09-25 22:03:51 -0700, Jerry Stuckle said:
>>
>
> Nope, the beautiful thing is it works on any server where PHP is loaded
> as a non-cgi.

I started a file for all my little snippets. The hard thing is not
knowing where to look in the manual sometimes.

I use my iMac as a test sever as it comes loaded with php4. The path
reurned isn't really where you think it is so the include fails. Minor
issue as it works great in the real world.

Thanks again,
Ron