PHP include relative path

Question

I have file /root/update/test.php. There's also a file, /root/connect.php; This file has a line

include "../config.php";

In /root/update/test.php. There's the code

set_include_path(".:/root");
include "connect.php";

When I run /root/update/test.php, it finds connect.php, but fails to find config.php, giving me

PHP Warning:  include(../config.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /root/connect.php on line 2
PHP Warning:  include(): Failed opening '../config.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/root')

This is confusing to me because the warnings make it seem like I'm doing everything correctly - the include path is /root, and it's looking for file ../config.php (/config.php), which exists. Can someone clear this up for me? Note that using absolute paths is not an option for me, due to deploying to a production server that I have no access to.

Ubuntu/Apache

I tries to include config.php relative to your CWD, which is /root/update/, and searches for /root/config.php — user4035
– user4035, Commented Jul 1, 2013 at 15:09
This: include "../config.php" takes you to the folder that is parent to root folder. Is config.php situated there? — Gimmy
– Gimmy, Commented Jul 1, 2013 at 15:13
personally I would change all file references to be absolute e.g. include realpath(_DIR_ . '/../') . '/config.php'; — Kevin
– Kevin, Commented Jul 1, 2013 at 15:29

Apiwat Chantawibul · Accepted Answer · 2025-01-08 08:07:26Z

164

You could always include it using __DIR__:

include(dirname(__DIR__).'/config.php');

__DIR__ is a 'magical constant' and returns the directory of the current file without the trailing slash. It's actually an absolute path, you just have to concatenate the file name to __DIR__. In this case, as we need to ascend a directory we use PHP's dirname which ascends the file tree, and from here we can access config.php.

You could set the root path in this method too:

define('ROOT_PATH', dirname(__DIR__) . '/');

in test.php would set your root to be at the /root/ level.

include(ROOT_PATH.'config.php');

Should then work to include the config file from where you want.

edited Jan 8 at 8:07

Apiwat Chantawibul

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answered Jul 1, 2013 at 15:18

meiamsome

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6 Comments

Jason McCreary Over a year ago

If you plan to use these constants with relative paths (i.e. ../), I would encourage you to clean it up with realpath() before the define().

Kayla Over a year ago

Instead of using ROOT_PATH.'../', I would use dirname(ROOT_PATH). The latter would give you a "more absolute" path.

Vic Seedoubleyew Over a year ago

I have started a troubleshooting checklist for this frequent error here : stackoverflow.com/a/36577021/2873507

user10201743 Over a year ago

You should consider that in windows dirname(DIR) get directory but with windows slash, so this method will just work with linux systems

Adi Prasetyo Over a year ago

so with this (your answer), we use absolute path instead of relative, right?

|

Jason McCreary · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-01 15:09:09Z

1

While I appreciate you believe absolute paths is not an option, it is a better option than relative paths and updating the PHP include path.

Use absolute paths with an constant you can set based on environment.

if (is_production()) {
    define('ROOT_PATH', '/some/production/path');
}
else {
    define('ROOT_PATH', '/root');
}

include ROOT_PATH . '/connect.php';

As commented, ROOT_PATH could also be derived from the current path, $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'], etc.

answered Jul 1, 2013 at 15:09

Jason McCreary

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3 Comments

meiamsome Over a year ago

define('ROOT_PATH', __DIR__.'/../');, perhaps?

George B Over a year ago

This is definitely a good suggestion, and certainly works - but DIR is more what I'm looking for. (I'm not the downvoter)

Vic Seedoubleyew Over a year ago

I have started a troubleshooting checklist for this frequent error here : stackoverflow.com/a/36577021/2873507

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