Includes - C++ style

[rshadarack]

I'm attempting to build a site with a general php library, with different files such as database.php for database functions and string.php for string functions.  Some of my database functions require string functions, so I include string.php in database.php. 

Now add on about 10 different library files, and things start to get complicated.  I have no clue (without looking in my library) which files include other files.  So I want to be able to include a file twice without getting a redeclaration error.  Is there a php'y way to do this?  I could mimic C++ and do:

[code]
if (!isset(DATABASE_PHP)) {
  DATABASE_PHP = 1;
  include("string.php");
  ...rest of database.php code...
}
[/code]

In all of the files.  It's fairly ugly, but it works.

Is there a better way?

[roopurt18]

require_once()

[rshadarack]

Oy, don't know why I haven't heard of that.  Thanks.

[Jenk]

Better manage you files and includes. Never have a library file run include, only controllers should include via a service locator or similar.