Accessing global variables in a separate PHP script?

Question

I'm trying to import some variables from a PHP script. It seems simple but I cannot get it to work.

The script contains some global variables like that:

$server_hostname = "localhost";
$server_database = "kimai";
$server_username = "root";
$server_password = "";
$server_conn     = "mysql";
$server_type     = "";
$server_prefix   = "kimai_";
$language        = "en";
$password_salt   = "7c0wFhYHHnK5hJsNI9Coo";

Then in my script, I would like to access these variables, so I've done:

require_once 'includes/autoconf.php';   
var_dump($server_hostname);

But this just outputs NULL. I've also tried:

require_once 'includes/autoconf.php';

global $server_hostname;    
var_dump($server_hostname);

but still not working.

I've added some echo statements in the "autoconf.php" file so I know that it's being loaded.

Any idea how I could access these variables?

If they are defined in a function then it will be private to that function. Even if you use global elsewhere — IEnumerable
– IEnumerable, Commented May 18, 2012 at 6:56
They are not in a function. The code I posted is the complete code. — laurent
– laurent, Commented May 18, 2012 at 6:58
do you have any other errors except that the variable does not seem to be in the namespace? activate the error output if the errors are hidden. — Elzo Valugi
– Elzo Valugi, Commented May 18, 2012 at 6:59
Check out PHP.ini file for global variable settings, im not sure if there is a setting but could be worth a look — IEnumerable
– IEnumerable, Commented May 18, 2012 at 7:09
have you tried using include_once("includes/autoconf.php"); ? — Wampie Driessen
– Wampie Driessen, Commented May 18, 2012 at 7:10

djot · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-18 06:54:46Z

3

You have to define the variable as global first:

global $server_hostname;
$server_hostname = "localhost";

answered May 18, 2012 at 6:54

djot

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3 Comments

djot Over a year ago

But anyway, I don't think that this is needed if you later on do a inlude or require, it should work just as you tried.

laurent Over a year ago

My understanding is that variables declared outside of any function or block are already in the global scope (php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php) Also I cannot modify this script directly so I need to access the variables some other way.

IEnumerable Over a year ago

They are in the global scope but in other files or functions you need to add global $varname;

laurent · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-19 03:29:12Z

2

It turns out the file was included somewhere else in the application so when I was calling require_once, the file was not being included at all. I changed it to just require and now it works.

answered May 19, 2012 at 3:29

laurent

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Comments

Elzo Valugi · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-18 07:01:51Z

1

Maybe the file was not included properly.

require_once 'includes/autoconf.php';

check current work directory where you include autoconf.php

try this

if (file_exists('includes/autoconf.php')) require_once 'includes/autoconf.php';
else echo 'File not exists';

to check it out.

edited May 18, 2012 at 7:01

Elzo Valugi

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answered May 18, 2012 at 6:56

Sergey

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Comments

Allover · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-18 06:57:55Z

0

How about using a constant?

define("server_hostname","localhost"); define("server_hostname","localhost");

answered May 18, 2012 at 6:57

Allover

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3 Comments

laurent Over a year ago

I cannot change the code in this autoconf.php file. Of course, if I could I'd simply avoid using any global variable at all.

IEnumerable Over a year ago

TRUE but isn't this a constant, not variable

Elzo Valugi Over a year ago

that is semantic anyway. The fact that a variable is not loaded, it means that the constant will not be loaded as well. Is a loading issue .

giuseppe · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-18 07:08:09Z

0

If you include the file and the variable is in a plain text, and not inside a function / class it works without the global

Go to your php.ini and put display_errors=On and errors to E_ALL so you will see which is the correct reason

answered May 18, 2012 at 7:08

giuseppe

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Comments

sidoco · Accepted Answer · 2020-11-11 16:28:56Z

0

better way to use and correct global variables is first assign value to variable and then declare global. this is:

$server_hostname = "localhost";
global $server_hostname;

answered Nov 11, 2020 at 16:28

sidoco

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4 revs, 2 users 77% · Accepted Answer · 2024-05-09 07:05:53Z

0

This is evil, but it may get the job done.

<? //PHP 5.4+
\call_user_func(static function(){
    $globals = \get_defined_vars();
    include 'includes/autoconf.php';
    $newVars = \array_diff_key($globals, \get_defined_vars());
    foreach($newVars as $name => $value){
        \define($name, $value);
    }
});
//Variables defined in file are now constants!
?>

edited May 9, 2024 at 7:05

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