include() something in a different directory

[mrbuter]

Alright I thought this would be easier but I can't seem to find it through google :\

 

I have an includes folder with a config.php and connection.php for mysql. Anything in the root directory can include that fine (include("/includes/connection.php") and anything in the includes folder can as well (include("connection.php")

 

However, I don't know how to get anything in a DIFFERENT folder to include something in the includes folder.

 

for example,

 

www.mysite.com/folder1/index.php can't include www.mysite.com/includes/connection.php.

 

I could do include("http://www.mysite.com/includes/connection.php"); but I am making something which I am going to give to a couple of friends so having them edit a bunch of files to reflect their own url would be silly.

 

There _HAS_ to be a way to make php jump to the root public html directory isn't there?

 

I was looking at some vbulletin code and they do this by doing stuff like

 

require_once(DIR . '/includes/functions_databuild.php');

 

but how do they define DIR?

 

 

[cry of war]

www.mysite.com/folder1/index.php can't include www.mysite.com/includes/connection.php.

if your trying to go up a folder try this

 

in www.mysite.com/folder1/index.php include www.mysite.com/../includes/connection.php.

[PFMaBiSmAd]

The DIR is a defined constant that the code or a configuration file sets up.

 

However, I recommend using $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] for all include/require files so that you can reuse code in different paths and never have to worry about being able to get a relative path to work. The following will work (assuming the includes/connection.php is correct) no matter what file contains the include() statement -

 

include($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] . "/includes/connection.php");

 

Including a file using a URL (http:/www.yourdomain.com) will only include content that is output to the browser and does not actually include php code/data.