How do I set an absolute include path in PHP

Question

In HTML  I can find a file starting from the web server s root folder by beginning the filepath with  quot   quot   Like   images some image jpg  I can put that path in any file in any subdirectory  and it will point to the right image  With PHP  I tried something similar  include  quot  includes header php quot        but that doesn t work  I think that that this page is saying that I can set include path once and after that  it will be assumed  But I don t quite get the syntax  Both examples start with a period  and it says  Using a   in the include path allows for relative includes as it means the current directory  Relative includes are exactly what I don t want  How do I make sure that all my includes point to the root includes folder   Bonus  what if I want to place that folder outside the public directory   Clarification My development files are currently being served by XAMPP Apache  Does that affect the absolute path   I m not sure yet what the production server will be   Update I don t know what my problem was here  The include path thing I referenced above was exactly what I was looking for  and the syntax isn t really confusing  I just tried it and it works great  One thing that occurs to me is that some people may have thought that  quot  some path quot  was an  quot absolute path quot  because they assumed the OS was Linux  This server is Windows  so an absolute path would have to start with the drive name  Anyway  problem solved

User · Answer

hey all   i had a similar problem with my cms system  i needed a hard path for some security aspects  think the best way is like rob wrote  for quick an dirty coding think this works also   -    lt  php  path     getcwd      myfile     test inc php          getcwd    points to       usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir  as example   echo   path  myfile   would return      usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir test inc php  access outside your working directory is not allowed       includ once   path  myfile      some code    gt    nice day strtok

User · Answer

I follow Wordpress s example on this one  I go and define a root path  normally the document root  and then go define a bunch of other path s along with that  one for each of my class dirs  IE  database  users  html  etc   Often I will define the root path manually instead of relying on a server variable   Example    if   SERVER  SERVERNAME       localhost         define  ABS PATH     path to upper most directory       Manual   else       define  ABS PATH  dirname   FILE             This defines the path as the directory of the containing file  normally a config php       define other paths     include ABS PATH   mystuff php

User · Answer

What I do is put a config php file in my root directory  This file is included by all PHP files in my project  In that config php file  I then do the following   define   ROOT DIR   dirname   FILE         Then in all files  I know what the root of my project is and can do stuff like this  require once  ROOT DIR   include functions php       Sorry  no bonus points for getting outside of the public directory    This also has the unfortunate side affect that you still need a relative path for finding config php  but it makes the rest of your includes much easier

User · Answer

Another option is to create a file in the   SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT   directory with the definition of your absolute path   For example  if your   SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT   directory is  C  wamp www    create a file  i e  my paths php  containing this   lt  php if  defined  MY ABS PATH    define  MY ABS PATH    SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT    MyProyect      Now you only need to include in every file inside your MyProyect folder this file  my paths php   so you can user MY ABS PATH as an absolute path for MyProject

User · Answer

Another option is to create a file in the   SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT   directory with the definition of your absolute path   For example  if your   SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT   directory is  C  wamp www    create a file  i e  my paths php  containing this   lt  php if  defined  MY ABS PATH    define  MY ABS PATH    SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT    MyProyect      Now you only need to include in every file inside your MyProyect folder this file  my paths php   so you can user MY ABS PATH as an absolute path for MyProject

User · Answer

There is nothing in include require that prohibits you from using absolute an path  so your example  include   includes header php       should work just fine  Assuming the path and file are corect and have the correct permissions set   and thereby allow you to include whatever file you like  in- or outside your document root   This behaviour is however considered to be a possible security risk  Therefore  the system administrator can set the open basedir directive    This directive configures where you can include require your files from and it might just be your problem  Some control panels  plesk for example  set this directive to be the same as the document root by default   as for the     syntax     home username public html  lt - absolute path   public html  lt - relative path     public html  lt - same as the path above      username public html  lt - another relative path     However  I usually use a slightly different option   require once   DIR       Factories ViewFactory php      With this edition  you specify an absolute path  relative to the file that contains the require once   statement

User · Answer

The include path setting works like  PATH in unix  there is a similar setting in Windows too  It contains multiple directory names  seperated by colons      When you include or require a file  these directories are searched in order  until a match is found or all directories are searched   So  to make sure that your application always includes from your path if the file exists there  simply put your include dir first in the list of directories   ini set  include path     your include path   ini get  include path       This way  your include directory is searched first  and then the original search path  by default the current directory  and then PEAR   If you have no problem modifying include path  then this is the solution for you

User · Answer

Not directly answering your question but something to remember      When using includes with allow url include on in your ini beware that  when accessing sessions from included files  if from a script you include one file using an absolute file reference and then include a second file from on your local server using a url file reference that they have different variable scope and the same session will not be seen from both included files  The original session won t be seen from the url included file    from  http   us2 php net manual en function include php 84052

User · Answer

Not directly answering your question but something to remember      When using includes with allow url include on in your ini beware that  when accessing sessions from included files  if from a script you include one file using an absolute file reference and then include a second file from on your local server using a url file reference that they have different variable scope and the same session will not be seen from both included files  The original session won t be seen from the url included file    from  http   us2 php net manual en function include php 84052

User · Answer

There is nothing in include require that prohibits you from using absolute an path  so your example  include   includes header php       should work just fine  Assuming the path and file are corect and have the correct permissions set   and thereby allow you to include whatever file you like  in- or outside your document root   This behaviour is however considered to be a possible security risk  Therefore  the system administrator can set the open basedir directive    This directive configures where you can include require your files from and it might just be your problem  Some control panels  plesk for example  set this directive to be the same as the document root by default   as for the     syntax     home username public html  lt - absolute path   public html  lt - relative path     public html  lt - same as the path above      username public html  lt - another relative path     However  I usually use a slightly different option   require once   DIR       Factories ViewFactory php      With this edition  you specify an absolute path  relative to the file that contains the require once   statement

User · Answer

The include path setting works like  PATH in unix  there is a similar setting in Windows too  It contains multiple directory names  seperated by colons      When you include or require a file  these directories are searched in order  until a match is found or all directories are searched   So  to make sure that your application always includes from your path if the file exists there  simply put your include dir first in the list of directories   ini set  include path     your include path   ini get  include path       This way  your include directory is searched first  and then the original search path  by default the current directory  and then PEAR   If you have no problem modifying include path  then this is the solution for you

User · Answer

There is nothing in include require that prohibits you from using absolute an path  so your example  include   includes header php       should work just fine  Assuming the path and file are corect and have the correct permissions set   and thereby allow you to include whatever file you like  in- or outside your document root   This behaviour is however considered to be a possible security risk  Therefore  the system administrator can set the open basedir directive    This directive configures where you can include require your files from and it might just be your problem  Some control panels  plesk for example  set this directive to be the same as the document root by default   as for the     syntax     home username public html  lt - absolute path   public html  lt - relative path     public html  lt - same as the path above      username public html  lt - another relative path     However  I usually use a slightly different option   require once   DIR       Factories ViewFactory php      With this edition  you specify an absolute path  relative to the file that contains the require once   statement

User · Answer

Thanks - this is one of 2 links that com up if you google for php apache windows absolute path   As a newbie to intermed PHP developer I didnt understand why absolute paths on apache windopws systems would be c  xampp htdocs  apache document root - XAMPP default  instead of    thus if in http  localhost myapp subfolder1 subfolder2 myfile php I wanted to include a file from http  localhost myapp  I would need to specify it as  include  c  xampp htdocs myapp includeme php   or include        includeme php    AND NOT include   myapp includeme php

User · Answer

hey all   i had a similar problem with my cms system  i needed a hard path for some security aspects  think the best way is like rob wrote  for quick an dirty coding think this works also   -    lt  php  path     getcwd      myfile     test inc php          getcwd    points to       usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir  as example   echo   path  myfile   would return      usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir test inc php  access outside your working directory is not allowed       includ once   path  myfile      some code    gt    nice day strtok

User · Answer

I ve come up with a single line of code to set at top of my every php script as to compensate    lt  php if   root  for  i count explode       SERVER  PHP SELF      i gt 2  i--   root             gt    By this building  root to bee       steps up in hierarchy from wherever the file is placed  Whenever I want to include with an absolut path the line will be    lt  php include  root  some include directory file php      gt    I don t really like it  seems as an awkward way to solve it  but it seem to work whatever system php runs on and wherever the file is placed  making it system independent  To reach files outside the web directory add some more     after  root  e g   root     external file txt

User · Answer

Not directly answering your question but something to remember      When using includes with allow url include on in your ini beware that  when accessing sessions from included files  if from a script you include one file using an absolute file reference and then include a second file from on your local server using a url file reference that they have different variable scope and the same session will not be seen from both included files  The original session won t be seen from the url included file    from  http   us2 php net manual en function include php 84052

User · Answer

One strategy I don t know if this is the best way  but it has worked for me   root     SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT    include  root  quot  path to file php quot

User · Answer

There is nothing in include require that prohibits you from using absolute an path  so your example  include   includes header php       should work just fine  Assuming the path and file are corect and have the correct permissions set   and thereby allow you to include whatever file you like  in- or outside your document root   This behaviour is however considered to be a possible security risk  Therefore  the system administrator can set the open basedir directive    This directive configures where you can include require your files from and it might just be your problem  Some control panels  plesk for example  set this directive to be the same as the document root by default   as for the     syntax     home username public html  lt - absolute path   public html  lt - relative path     public html  lt - same as the path above      username public html  lt - another relative path     However  I usually use a slightly different option   require once   DIR       Factories ViewFactory php      With this edition  you specify an absolute path  relative to the file that contains the require once   statement

User · Answer

The include path setting works like  PATH in unix  there is a similar setting in Windows too  It contains multiple directory names  seperated by colons      When you include or require a file  these directories are searched in order  until a match is found or all directories are searched   So  to make sure that your application always includes from your path if the file exists there  simply put your include dir first in the list of directories   ini set  include path     your include path   ini get  include path       This way  your include directory is searched first  and then the original search path  by default the current directory  and then PEAR   If you have no problem modifying include path  then this is the solution for you

User · Answer

The include path setting works like  PATH in unix  there is a similar setting in Windows too  It contains multiple directory names  seperated by colons      When you include or require a file  these directories are searched in order  until a match is found or all directories are searched   So  to make sure that your application always includes from your path if the file exists there  simply put your include dir first in the list of directories   ini set  include path     your include path   ini get  include path       This way  your include directory is searched first  and then the original search path  by default the current directory  and then PEAR   If you have no problem modifying include path  then this is the solution for you

User · Answer

hey all   i had a similar problem with my cms system  i needed a hard path for some security aspects  think the best way is like rob wrote  for quick an dirty coding think this works also   -    lt  php  path     getcwd      myfile     test inc php          getcwd    points to       usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir  as example   echo   path  myfile   would return      usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir test inc php  access outside your working directory is not allowed       includ once   path  myfile      some code    gt    nice day strtok

User · Answer

One strategy I don t know if this is the best way  but it has worked for me   root     SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT    include  root  quot  path to file php quot

User · Answer

One strategy I don t know if this is the best way  but it has worked for me   root     SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT    include  root  quot  path to file php quot

User · Answer

hey all   i had a similar problem with my cms system  i needed a hard path for some security aspects  think the best way is like rob wrote  for quick an dirty coding think this works also   -    lt  php  path     getcwd      myfile     test inc php          getcwd    points to       usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir  as example   echo   path  myfile   would return      usr srv apache htdocs myworkingdir test inc php  access outside your working directory is not allowed       includ once   path  myfile      some code    gt    nice day strtok

User · Answer

One strategy I don t know if this is the best way  but it has worked for me   root     SERVER  DOCUMENT ROOT    include  root  quot  path to file php quot

User · Answer

I follow Wordpress s example on this one  I go and define a root path  normally the document root  and then go define a bunch of other path s along with that  one for each of my class dirs  IE  database  users  html  etc   Often I will define the root path manually instead of relying on a server variable   Example    if   SERVER  SERVERNAME       localhost         define  ABS PATH     path to upper most directory       Manual   else       define  ABS PATH  dirname   FILE             This defines the path as the directory of the containing file  normally a config php       define other paths     include ABS PATH   mystuff php

User · Answer

Thanks - this is one of 2 links that com up if you google for php apache windows absolute path   As a newbie to intermed PHP developer I didnt understand why absolute paths on apache windopws systems would be c  xampp htdocs  apache document root - XAMPP default  instead of    thus if in http  localhost myapp subfolder1 subfolder2 myfile php I wanted to include a file from http  localhost myapp  I would need to specify it as  include  c  xampp htdocs myapp includeme php   or include        includeme php    AND NOT include   myapp includeme php

User · Answer

I ve come up with a single line of code to set at top of my every php script as to compensate    lt  php if   root  for  i count explode       SERVER  PHP SELF      i gt 2  i--   root             gt    By this building  root to bee       steps up in hierarchy from wherever the file is placed  Whenever I want to include with an absolut path the line will be    lt  php include  root  some include directory file php      gt    I don t really like it  seems as an awkward way to solve it  but it seem to work whatever system php runs on and wherever the file is placed  making it system independent  To reach files outside the web directory add some more     after  root  e g   root     external file txt

User · Answer

What I do is put a config php file in my root directory  This file is included by all PHP files in my project  In that config php file  I then do the following   define   ROOT DIR   dirname   FILE         Then in all files  I know what the root of my project is and can do stuff like this  require once  ROOT DIR   include functions php       Sorry  no bonus points for getting outside of the public directory    This also has the unfortunate side affect that you still need a relative path for finding config php  but it makes the rest of your includes much easier

User · Answer

What I do is put a config php file in my root directory  This file is included by all PHP files in my project  In that config php file  I then do the following   define   ROOT DIR   dirname   FILE         Then in all files  I know what the root of my project is and can do stuff like this  require once  ROOT DIR   include functions php       Sorry  no bonus points for getting outside of the public directory    This also has the unfortunate side affect that you still need a relative path for finding config php  but it makes the rest of your includes much easier

User · Answer

Not directly answering your question but something to remember      When using includes with allow url include on in your ini beware that  when accessing sessions from included files  if from a script you include one file using an absolute file reference and then include a second file from on your local server using a url file reference that they have different variable scope and the same session will not be seen from both included files  The original session won t be seen from the url included file    from  http   us2 php net manual en function include php 84052

User · Answer

What I do is put a config php file in my root directory  This file is included by all PHP files in my project  In that config php file  I then do the following   define   ROOT DIR   dirname   FILE         Then in all files  I know what the root of my project is and can do stuff like this  require once  ROOT DIR   include functions php       Sorry  no bonus points for getting outside of the public directory    This also has the unfortunate side affect that you still need a relative path for finding config php  but it makes the rest of your includes much easier

[php] How do I set an absolute include path in PHP?

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