PHP Include Files

Server Side Include(SSI) could save you great amount of time on changing code.It makes changes of just one file propagated throughout the whole web site without having to edit every single file. PHP include also have this function.

Usually, an experienced webmaster keeps an often-changed part as a separate file, use SSI include this file in other files.

How to Use Include Files in PHP

Assume you have a header.html need being include in other files. Use the following code to include header.html:

<?php virtual("/yourpath/header.html") ?>

virtual() function use the absolute path. If header.html is in your web site root, you may use:

<?php virtual("/header.html") ?>

You may also include() function like the following:

<?php include("myfiles.html") ?>

This function uses relative path. Include() is relative to your include_path setting in php.ini file. If you use include(), include() looks first in the same directory where required page is in to see if there is an include file, will include the file by that name in the default include path you've set.

The php.ini file allows you set up an auto_prepend_file and auto_append_file files (header & footer files) which automatically get included on files.

But sometimes you may not want to include a header and footer file on a particular file.

If you use the auto_prepend_file and auto_append_file feature, you do not need to add any additional code to your pages. The PHP engine will automatically add those files.

You can also choose to take advantage of the include_path and put all included files in this specified directories.