RE: [PHP] Require() vs Include()

On 14 Nov 00 at 11:32, php-general-digest-help@lists wrote: >Maxim Maletsky writes: >> OK, then. >> >> what is the reason require() exists? >> >> >> If it works the exactly same way as include() except that include can be >> more flexible why would we use require() then? >> >> Any performance issues? >> usability? >> security? >> >> Thanks Lawrence, > >In PHP 3, it was quite a bit faster than include(). There were other >semantic differences between the two as well, such as return values >etc. Performance appears to now be pretty much the same; you can >return values with include() now, and so forth and so on. > >BTW, require() will fail in a completely different way from include() >when it can't find the target file. include() will simply return a >false value, whereas require() will spit out a great big 'Fatal error' >and halt script execution. Is my paraphrasing correct? require() is "absolute" -- so don't use it in a conditional statement because it makes no sense (to me anyway) require() is "absolute" -- make sure that what you "require" exists where it's suppose to be, otherwise the script fails "hard". include() is *not* absolute -- use it in a conditional include() failures do so "softly" - returns garbage, e.g. Up to php4.0.1 require() had the edge on speed -- none to very litle with php4.0.2+. -duke Calgary,Alberta, Canada