. I shall try to describe the request in greater detail: Suppose that I have 10,000 php pages that already contain the script: [code]<? $var1 = "one"; $var2 = "two"; $var3 = "three"; $text = "$var1, $var3"; echo $text ?>[/code] output is: one, three for all 10,000 pages Now, suppose that I want to have the ability to change the output of all those 10,000 pages all at the same time by setting the value of $text. One time I may want $text = "$var1, $var3"; Another time I may want $text = "$var3, $var2"; etc. So, if I have an external text.txt file which I can change to $var1, $var3 - or var3, $var2 - or anything I want, then all the 10,000 pages will print the same thing accordingly. It would be fine if the following worked, but of course it does not: [code]<? $var1 = "one"; $var2 = "two"; $var3 = "three"; $text = file_get_contents('text.txt'); echo $text ?>[/code] to insert ex. $var1, $var3 and specify $text = "$var1, $var3"; but this just prints: $var1, $var3 and not : one, three as intended. I hope this is a bit more clear. thanks, heisje .