Re: best way to properly build an include path *regardless* from where I am calling the include?

On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 16:16:55 -0600 Govinda <govinda.webdnatalk@gmail.com> wrote: > I do not really understand why > $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] > should return the right data at one time and not at another. (?) In general it will always provide the right data, but as the manual says: "The entries in this array ($_SERVER) are created by the web server. There is no guarantee that every web server will provide any of these; servers may omit some." The problem could arise if the script is transfered unto a web server where the $_SERVER array (or parts of it - in this case the document_root part) has been disabled. Take into consideration where the script/program has to run and whether it is likely to be moved around to different web servers with different setups. > Also, what is the difference between a path that starts with "/", > versus the same path but that does not have that leading "/", or > that same path but prefixed with "./"? > > I.e., this: > /somepath/includes/file.php This depends on whether the web server is running in a chroot. If the web server for example has access to all files on the machine and isn't running in any kind of chroot or limited setup, then "/somepath" is located in the very root of the directory on that particular hard drive (or partition) and "/somepath" is NOT a sub directory of another directory. So you would see something like this (if you are not using Windows): /var/www/mywebsite.com/ /somepath/includes/file.php /usr/sbin/ /home/foo/ > versus this: > somepath/includes/file.php This depends on where your script is running from. If your script is running in: /var/www/mywebsite.com/myscript.php Then the above would become: /var/www/mywebsite.com/somepath/includes/file.php If your script is running in: /var/www/mywebsite.com/subdirectory/myscript.php Then the above would become: /var/www/mywebsite.com/subdirectory/somepath/includes/file.php > versus this: > ./somepath/includes/file.php Its the same as "somepath/includes/file.php" a "./" means "current working directory". I hope I make sense. If you haven't already take a look at: http://php.net/manual/en/function.include.php > ("../" I know) > > -G --- Mange venlige hilsner/Best regards Kim Naim Lesmer Programmer/Unix systemadministrator Web : www.bitflop.com E-mail : knl@bitflop.com