cookies problem

I am very close to getting this sorted.....Thanks for all the help on 'variable variables' and var_dump. Two useful techniques. My function works but throws up a cookie problem if (isset($add)){ ${$add} = intval($_COOKIE['cookie'][$add]); $new= $$add+1; setcookie("cookie[$add]", "$new $add"); echo var_dump($_COOKIE['cookie'][$add]); } At the beginining of my page I have... session_start(); require_once('init_cookies.php'); Init_cookies is jus a for loop to initialise the cookies... $dishes= array ("pakora", "haggis_fritter"); for ($i=0; $i < 2; $i++){ setcookie("cookie[$dishes[$i]]", "0 $dishes[$i]"); when I leave it in it resets the cookies when they are sent to the page. When I take it out the headers already sent error occurs. I do not know if this is my lack of undertanding of require_once/include_once. I need a way to initialise the cookies one time only. I have tried an 'if (isset)' but that doesn't work. thanks again.... Ross