Includes in libraries

[Tim Tyler]

A fairly simple question:

I have a library A which depends on library B and C.

Currently I have:

<?php
include("A.inc. php");
include("B.inc. php");
include("C.inc. php");
?>

....in my HTML.

This needs changing to:

<?php
include("../A.inc.php");
include("../B.inc.php");
include("../C.inc.php");
?>

....if I call it from deeper in the directory tree.

I don't want lots of includes in my HTML. I want to write:

<?php
include("A.inc. php");
?>

....and to have the other includes in the "A.inc.php" file.

However if I put:

include("B.inc. php");
include("C.inc. php");

....in the library, it doesn't fild the files when included using:

<?php
include("../A.inc.php");
?>

....in an HTML file some distance from the root.

I don't want to wire absolute paths in.

I *could* pass the "../" in as a method parameter - but that
seems like a total mess.

What is the best way to resolve this issue?
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[Kevin Thorpe]

Re: Includes in libraries

Tim Tyler wrote:[color=blue]
> A fairly simple question:
>
> I have a library A which depends on library B and C.
>
> Currently I have:
>
> <?php
> include("A.inc. php");
> include("B.inc. php");
> include("C.inc. php");
> ?>
>
> ...in my HTML.
>
> This needs changing to:
>
> <?php
> include("../A.inc.php");
> include("../B.inc.php");
> include("../C.inc.php");
> ?>
>
> ...if I call it from deeper in the directory tree.
>
> I don't want lots of includes in my HTML. I want to write:
>
> <?php
> include("A.inc. php");
> ?>
>
> ...and to have the other includes in the "A.inc.php" file.
>
> However if I put:
>
> include("B.inc. php");
> include("C.inc. php");
>
> ...in the library, it doesn't fild the files when included using:
>
> <?php
> include("../A.inc.php");
> ?>
>
> ...in an HTML file some distance from the root.
>
> I don't want to wire absolute paths in.
>
> I *could* pass the "../" in as a method parameter - but that
> seems like a total mess.
>
> What is the best way to resolve this issue?[/color]

Best idea is to put all your libraries in a single directory and add it
to include_path in php.ini.

Failing that you could look at the constant _FILE_ which, in A.inc will
point to the full path of A.inc (I think).

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Includes in libraries

Tim Tyler <tim@tt1lock.or g> wrote or quoted:

[snip]
[color=blue]
> However if I put:
>
> include("B.inc. php");
> include("C.inc. php");
>
> ...in the library, it doesn't fi[n]d the files when included using:
>
> <?php
> include("../A.inc.php");
> ?>
>
> ...in an HTML file some distance from the root.
>
> I don't want to wire absolute paths in.
>
> I *could* pass the "../" in as a method parameter - but that
> seems like a total mess.
>
> What is the best way to resolve this issue?[/color]

Prepending $DOCUMENT_ROOT seems like a possible resolution.

It's not an ideal solution - since it too hinders portability,
by wiring in an path with an absoulte element.

i.e. if I ever want to move the library files relative to the
webserver's document root, then they would need rewriting.
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Includes in libraries

Kevin Thorpe <kevin@pricetra k.com> wrote or quoted:
[color=blue]
> Best idea is to put all your libraries in a single directory and add it
> to include_path in php.ini.[/color]

Noooooooooooooo ooooooooooooo! ;-)
[color=blue]
> Failing that you could look at the constant _FILE_ which, in A.inc will
> point to the full path of A.inc (I think).[/color]

If so, that sounds like it will sort out the problem.

There's still the expense of writing a routine to strip off the leaf -
and including the body of this function in every library file that wants
to include other library files - of course.

However this is likely to be low maintenance code - and I don't mind
duplicating it all over the place - if that's /really/ what it takes.
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Includes in libraries

Tim Tyler <tim@tt1lock.or g> wrote or quoted:[color=blue]
> Kevin Thorpe <kevin@pricetra k.com> wrote or quoted:[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>> Failing that you could look at the constant _FILE_ which, in A.inc will
>> point to the full path of A.inc (I think).[/color]
>
> If so, that sounds like it will sort out the problem.[/color]

Hah!

``If you use a relative path for include or include_one, the path is
relative to the running script, ie. the script that started all the
includes. There’s no easy way to include files relative to the current
file. This is a real hassle if you’ve got a library file that links to a
whole lot of other files. You can use absolute paths (with
$DOCUMENT_ROOT) but this is (obviously) less flexible.

I’ve finally figured out a solution, using _FILE_, realpath, and basedir:

include_once(re alpath(dirname( __FILE__) . "../relative/path/to/file"))''

- http://www.ineffable.co.nz/archives/cat_php.html

So I reckon something like:

function include_once_re lative($path) {
include_once(re alpath(dirname( __FILE__)."../".$path));
}

....should patch things up - until the PHP designers fix up the problem.
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[Johan Holst Nielsen]

Re: Includes in libraries

Tim Tyler wrote:
[color=blue]
> A fairly simple question:[/color]

Well, another way (than the other answers) are to add another include
directory by ini_set() and the "include_pa th" option.

Regards,
Johan

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Includes in libraries

I, Tim Tyler <tim@tt1lock.or g> wrote or quoted:
[color=blue]
> ``If you use a relative path for include or include_one, the path is
> relative to the running script, ie. the script that started all the
> includes. There’s no easy way to include files relative to the current
> file. This is a real hassle if you’ve got a library file that links to a
> whole lot of other files. You can use absolute paths (with
> $DOCUMENT_ROOT) but this is (obviously) less flexible.
>
> I’ve finally figured out a solution, using _FILE_, realpath, and basedir:
>
> include_once(re alpath(dirname( __FILE__) . "../relative/path/to/file"))''
>
> - http://www.ineffable.co.nz/archives/cat_php.html
>
> So I reckon something like:
>
> function include_once_re lative($path) {
> include_once(re alpath(dirname( __FILE__)."../".$path));
> }
>
> ...should patch things up - until the PHP designers fix up the problem.[/color]

That fails miserably on Windows running off a local webserver.

include_once("C :\Documents\HTM L\~TimTyler\php \test\i.inc.php ");

....isn't valid - you see.

As it stands, this solution is not acceptable - since it doesn't work.
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Includes in libraries

Tim Tyler <tim@tt1lock.or g> wrote or quoted:[color=blue]
> I, Tim Tyler <tim@tt1lock.or g> wrote or quoted:[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>> ``If you use a relative path for include or include_one, the path is
>> relative to the running script, ie. the script that started all the
>> includes. There’s no easy way to include files relative to the current
>> file. This is a real hassle if you’ve got a library file that links to a
>> whole lot of other files. You can use absolute paths (with
>> $DOCUMENT_ROOT) but this is (obviously) less flexible.
>>
>> I’ve finally figured out a solution, using _FILE_, realpath, and basedir:
>>
>> include_once(re alpath(dirname( __FILE__) . "../relative/path/to/file"))''
>>
>> - http://www.ineffable.co.nz/archives/cat_php.html
>>
>> So I reckon something like:
>>
>> function include_once_re lative($path) {
>> include_once(re alpath(dirname( __FILE__)."../".$path));
>> }
>>
>> ...should patch things up - until the PHP designers fix up the problem.[/color]
>
> That fails miserably on Windows running off a local webserver.
>
> include_once("C :\Documents\HTM L\~TimTyler\php \test\i.inc.php ");
>
> ...isn't valid - you see.
>
> As it stands, this solution is not acceptable - since it doesn't work.[/color]

Here is something that /does/ appear to work - at least in *my*
development and deployment environments, on *my* test data:

// test code...
include_once_re lative("test.in c.php");

function include_once_re lative($path) {
$from = realpath(dirnam e($_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAM E"]));
$to = realpath(dirnam e(__FILE__)."/".$path);

include_once(re lative_path($to ,$from));
}

function relative_path ($targetfile, $basedir = '.') {
$basedir = realpath ($basedir);
$targetfile = realpath ($targetfile);

// on windows, check that both paths are on the same drive
if (substr ($basedir, 0, 1) != substr ($targetfile, 0, 1)) {
return false;
}

// split each path into its directories
$base_parts = split ('\/', str_replace ('\\', '/', $basedir));
$target_parts = split ('\/', str_replace ('\\', '/', $targetfile));

// ensure that there are no empty elements at the end (c:\ would cause it)
for ($i = count($base_par ts) - 1; $i >= 0; $i--) {
if ($base_parts[$i] == '') {
unset ($base_parts[$i]);
} else {
break;
}
}
for ($i = count($target_p arts) - 1; $i >= 0; $i--) {
if ($target_parts[$i] == '') {
unset ($target_parts[$i]);
} else {
break;
}
}

// get rid of the common directories at the beginning of the paths
$common_count = 0;
for ($i = 0; $i < count($base_par ts); $i++) {
if ($target_parts[$i] == $base_parts[$i]) {
$common_count++ ;
} else {
break;
}
}
for ($i = 0; $i < $common_count; $i++) {
unset ($base_parts[$i]);
unset ($target_parts[$i]);
}

// build the resulting string
$cnt = count($base_par ts) - 1;
if ($cnt < 1) {
$cnt = 0;
}

return str_repeat ('../', $cnt).implode('/', $target_parts);
}

Of course, this is now A Dreadful Hack :-|
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[Ian.H]

Re: Includes in libraries

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 14:58:07 +0000, Tim Tyler wrote:
[color=blue]
> A fairly simple question:
>
> I have a library A which depends on library B and C.
>
> Currently I have:
>
> <?php
> include("A.inc. php");
> include("B.inc. php");
> include("C.inc. php");
> ?>
>
> ...in my HTML.
>
> This needs changing to:
>
> <?php
> include("../A.inc.php");
> include("../B.inc.php");
> include("../C.inc.php");
> ?>
>
> ...if I call it from deeper in the directory tree.
>
> I don't want lots of includes in my HTML. I want to write:
>
> <?php
> include("A.inc. php");
> ?>
>
> ...and to have the other includes in the "A.inc.php" file.
>
> However if I put:
>
> include("B.inc. php");
> include("C.inc. php");
>
> ...in the library, it doesn't fild the files when included using:
>
> <?php
> include("../A.inc.php");
> ?>
>
> ...in an HTML file some distance from the root.
>
> I don't want to wire absolute paths in.
>
> I *could* pass the "../" in as a method parameter - but that seems like a
> total mess.
>
> What is the best way to resolve this issue?[/color]


Tim..

I normally create a 'registry.php' file. This holds the instructions for
my includes. It might look something like:


<?php
/* Script: includes/registry.php */

$global_libs = array(
'Mysql',
'Sessions',
'smarty/Smarty'
);
foreach ($global_libs as $g_lib) {
require_once("$ g_lib.class.php ");
}

$local_includes = array(
'functions',
'constants'
);
foreach ($local_include s as $l_inc) {
require_once(SI TE_ROOT . "/includes/$l_inc.inc.php" );
}
?>


Then a script to call this would look like:

<?php
/* Script: index.php */
define('SITE_RO OT', dirname(__FILE_ _));
require_once(SI TE_ROOT . '/includes/registry.php');

[ ... rest of script ... ]
?>


Or if we're in a sub directory:

<?php
/* Script: subdir/foo.php */
define('SITE_RO OT', dirname(__FILE_ _) . '/..');
require_once(SI TE_ROOT . '/includes/registry.php');

[ ... rest of script ... ]
?>


As you an see, it doesn't matter what dir you in or how deep into a tree
you are, as long as you define the SITE_ROOT correctly (with enough
/../../.. etc) you'll always have the right place to read for the
registry.php script.

I use arrays to store the stuff in the registry script as it makes life
easier if you want to add / remove / whatever any of the files.

My £0.02 worth anyway =)



Regards,

Ian

--
Ian.H [Design & Development]
digiServ Network - Web solutions
www.digiserv.net | irc.digiserv.ne t | forum.digiserv. net
Programming, Web design, development & hosting.

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Includes in libraries

Johan Holst Nielsen <johan@weknowth ewayout.com> wrote or quoted:[color=blue]
> Tim Tyler wrote:[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>> A fairly simple question:[/color]
>
> Well, another way (than the other answers) are to add another include
> directory by ini_set() and the "include_pa th" option.[/color]

Essentially this idea has been suggested twice.

Doesn't doing something like this cause everything to become slow
if many modules do it, and there's a big string of directories to
scan?

What is the "scope" of the "include_pa th"?

Doesn't using it set you up for probems with name clashes with any
other users' scripts that do the same?
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[Adi Schwarz]

Re: Includes in libraries

Tim Tyler wrote:
[color=blue]
> Kevin Thorpe <kevin@pricetra k.com> wrote or quoted:
>[color=green]
>>Best idea is to put all your libraries in a single directory and add it
>>to include_path in php.ini.[/color]
>
> Noooooooooooooo ooooooooooooo! ;-)[/color]

why not?

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Includes in libraries

Adi Schwarz <adolf.schwarz. news.11-03@gmx.at> wrote or quoted:[color=blue]
> Tim Tyler wrote:[color=green]
>> Kevin Thorpe <kevin@pricetra k.com> wrote or quoted:[/color][/color]
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>Best idea is to put all your libraries in a single directory and add it
>>>to include_path in php.ini.[/color]
>>
>> Noooooooooooooo ooooooooooooo! ;-)[/color]
>
> why not?[/color]

I expressed some of my qualms about this sort of thing in my reply to
Johan Holst Nielsen's suggestion.

Also it contains the sentence fragment:

"Best idea is to put all your libraries in a single directory".

I regard that as a dreadful idea - since I want to use directories
for encapsuating/associating files within each library - e.g. like
a Java package usually does - and I want my libraries associated
with the domains where they are used - to limit the scope of damage
if I want to change an API.
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[FLEB]

Re: Includes in libraries

Regarding this well-known quote, often attributed to Tim Tyler's famous
"Tue, 2 Dec 2003 14:58:07 GMT" speech:
[color=blue]
> A fairly simple question:
>
> I have a library A which depends on library B and C.
>
> Currently I have:
>
> <?php
> include("A.inc. php");
> include("B.inc. php");
> include("C.inc. php");
> ?>
>
> ...in my HTML.
>
> This needs changing to:
>
> <?php
> include("../A.inc.php");
> include("../B.inc.php");
> include("../C.inc.php");
> ?>
>
> ...if I call it from deeper in the directory tree.
>
> I don't want lots of includes in my HTML. I want to write:
>
> <?php
> include("A.inc. php");
> ?>
>
> ...and to have the other includes in the "A.inc.php" file.
>
> However if I put:
>
> include("B.inc. php");
> include("C.inc. php");
>
> ...in the library, it doesn't fild the files when included using:
>
> <?php
> include("../A.inc.php");
> ?>
>
> ...in an HTML file some distance from the root.
>
> I don't want to wire absolute paths in.
>
> I *could* pass the "../" in as a method parameter - but that
> seems like a total mess.
>
> What is the best way to resolve this issue?[/color]

You could just drop a "definition s" script within your root path, and
include that from the included files:

<includes.inc.p hp> -----------------------------------------------

$_ROOT_INC_PATH _ = "/home2/bobdrilo/public_html/php-includes";

$_MYSQL_LIB_PAT H_ = "$_ROOT_INC_PAT H_/mysql/mysql-lib.php";
$_GRAPHICS_LIB_ PATH_ = "$_ROOT_INC_PAT H_/graphicslib/gfxlib.php";
$_TABLEGEN_LIB_ PATH_ = "$_ROOT_INC_PAT H_/tables/tables.php";

....

<includes.inc.p hp> -----------------------------------------------

then, call your includes with the variables:

<dostuff.php> ----------------------------------------------------
include("includ es.inc.php"); // this is in the root includes path
include($_GRAPH ICS_LIB_PATH_);
include($_MYSQL _LIB_PATH);

....
<dostuff.php> ----------------------------------------------------

--
-- Rudy Fleminger
-- sp@mmers.and.ev il.ones.will.bo w-down-to.us
(put "Hey!" in the Subject line for priority processing!)
-- http://www.pixelsaredead.com

[Adi Schwarz]

Re: Includes in libraries

Tim Tyler wrote:
[color=blue]
> Johan Holst Nielsen <johan@weknowth ewayout.com> wrote or quoted:
>[color=green]
>>Tim Tyler wrote:[/color]
>
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>A fairly simple question:[/color]
>>
>>Well, another way (than the other answers) are to add another include
>>directory by ini_set() and the "include_pa th" option.[/color][/color]
[color=blue]
> Doesn't doing something like this cause everything to become slow
> if many modules do it, and there's a big string of directories to
> scan?[/color]


I would not say that.

Let's say you have all includes (with subdirectories) in /bla/includes/
- this path is in you include_path.

If your script is in
/bla/scripts/dir/blubb.php
and wants to include
/bla/includes/modules/blubb.inc.php you just have to
include("module s/blubb.inc.php") ;

If you want to move your script directory - no problem.
If you want to move your include base directory - just adjust the
inlude_path

[color=blue]
> Doesn't using it set you up for probems with name clashes with any
> other users' scripts that do the same?[/color]

You can set the include_path for each user with an .htaccess (can't
you?) or in the script itself.

I really see advantages only.

Greets,
-adi