PHP - with require_once/include/require, the path is relative to what?

Question

when on "index.php", I do require_once("/all_fns.php").

"all_fns.php" itself requires files with paths relative to all_fns.php (itself).

My question is, should I write the paths on all_fns relative to all_fns.php or to index.php?

This is all very confusing to me and wanted to get it straight.

As a side note, "/all_fns.php" is an absolute path that will look for a file in the OS's root directory (on a non-Windows system) — Powerlord
– Powerlord, Commented Dec 23, 2009 at 19:42
On a Windows system as well. It will search in the current drive's root. — Pekka
– Pekka, Commented Dec 23, 2009 at 20:19

Pekka · Accepted Answer · 2009-12-23 20:19:12Z

15

They are treated as relative to index.php.

If you need to reference a file relative to the include, use

__DIR__."/relative/file.php";

edited Dec 23, 2009 at 20:19

answered Dec 23, 2009 at 19:13

Pekka

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5 Comments

Benbob Over a year ago

This worked for me when I wanted a relative path. require_once('../bla.php'); would not work. require_once(__DIR__.'/../bla.php'); works.

nanofarad Over a year ago

@AlixAxel dirname(__FILE__) is needed on older PHP versions.

Alix Axel Over a year ago

@ObsessiveFOSS: Yes, but the OP hasn't stated that he's using a very old PHP version, we can assume that he's using the latest stable release.

nanofarad Over a year ago

@AlixAxel so newest version is assumed?

Alix Axel Over a year ago

@ObsessiveFOSS: Not the newest, but the latest stable one (give or take 6 months for server packages to catch up - launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/php5), __DIR__ was stable since 30-Jun-2009. Either way, the answer and the comment still provide both options, I just think we shouldn't be advocating prehistoric code. But then again, SourceForge kept supporting PHP 3.X for a terribly long time.

Alix Axel · Accepted Answer · 2009-12-23 19:33:53Z

2

They are relative to the getcwd().

answered Dec 23, 2009 at 19:33

Alix Axel

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1 Comment

kelvin Over a year ago

Updated link: getcwd().

Galen · Accepted Answer · 2009-12-23 19:21:26Z

0

in index.php define some directories

define ( 'INCLUDES_DIR', dirname( __FILE__ ) );
define ( 'INCLUDES_DIR2', INCLUDES_DIR . '/some_directory' );

then in all the other files you can use INCLUDES_DIR

include( INCLUDES_DIR1 . 'file.php' );

answered Dec 23, 2009 at 19:21

Galen

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Comments

Cups · Accepted Answer · 2009-12-23 20:27:51Z

0

Either Use

echo  in_get( "include_path") ;

Or open up your ini file and find out what your ini path is, and put your include file in THAT DIRECTORY (or one of those directories) and release yourself from worrying about absolute/relative include problems forever.

answered Dec 23, 2009 at 20:27

Cups

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1 Comment

nanofarad Over a year ago

There isn't a function called in_get(). Do you mean ini_get()?

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