can this go in an INCLUDE

[phppup]

I am creating several files with the same connection information.  I already REQUIRE_ONCE my connection data that has all the 'secret entry data', but am wondering, if this is my current code in the top of the files:

 

 

$con = require_once('connection.php');

if (!$con)

  {

  die('Could not connect!' . mysql_error());

  }

 

mysql_select_db("$database") or die('Choose a database  ' . mysql_error());

 

And then a $query/$result

 

Can the lines BEFORE the $query go into an INCLUDE file ALSO if they are going to be constant and repeated, or do they have to be hardcoded into each file individually?

 

 

[btherl]

Are you talking about mysql_select_db()?  That can go into your connection.php.  So can the check for the connection.  Your common code in each file can look like this only:

 

require_once('connection.php');

 

As long as connection.php dies if anything goes wrong, there is no need to check the return value from require_once().

[phppup]

Is REQUIRE ONCE the best method versus REQUIRE or INCLUDE?

 

I've read lots of links, but am curious to hear from a REAL user.

[btherl]

require_once() is almost universally better.  The only situation you would consider using something else is if you wanted to include a file multiple times (which I have never had to in 7 years of professional PHP programming), or if you want your script to continue even if the file couldn't be included (again, I have never wanted this).  In those cases you would use require() or include_once() respectively.  include() is for if you want to include something multiple times AND you want to continue your script even if it fails.

 

For connection.php, require_once() is the right option.