php.ini include_path question

[jmurch]

I have a site with the document root at /var/www/html.  The also have an installation of OSCommerce located at /var/www/html/store.  I like to set the default include path in php.ini for ease and clarity in coding since the site above the store has many directory levels.

 

When I try to set the default include_path parameter in php.ini to /var/www/html/includes:/var/www/html/store/includes the store crashes. 

 

As a work around I can just code all of the includes to the document root

include(/includes/whatever.php).  This works fine for html files but not for php files even though they are in the same directory.

 

Has anyone run into this or seen this behavior before? I really have two problems that are unrelated I'm sure.

 

TIA