PHP include file - The php require function

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In this tutorial I will show you how to divide your code into more files and how to include various files into your actual PHP code.

Tutorial info:

Name:	PHP include file
Total steps:	5
Category:	Basics
Level:	Beginner

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Step 4 - The php require function

PHP include file

In a lot of cases it is very important to have the file really included in our code. For example if the include of a database management code fails and the script continue it's run then it will cause a lot of unwanted error in the later steps. To avoid this you can say if the include was not success then stop all the further activity. For this purpose was the function require() introduced.

The usage if php require function is quite similar to the include however if the file can not be found require will report a fatal error and the script will die.

Let's see an example:

Code: 
<?php
   echo "Try to include wrong file first with include.<br/>";
   include ('internalwrong.php');
   echo "Now try it with require.<br/>";
   require ('internalwrong.php');
   echo "Finish.";
?>
PHP F1

And the output will be:

Output: 
Try to include wrong file first with include.
 
Warning: include(internalwrong.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in Z:WorkWebSitestestf1test.php on line 3
 
Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'internalwrong.php' for inclusion (include_path='D:Program FilesZendZendStudio-5.5.0binZendFrameworklibrary') in Z:WorkWebSitestestf1test.php on line 3
Now try it with require.
 
Warning: require(internalwrong.php) [function.require]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in Z:WorkWebSitestestf1test.php on line 5
 
Fatal error: require() [function.require]: Failed opening required 'internalwrong.php' (include_path='D:Program FilesZendZendStudio-5.5.0binZendFrameworklibrary') in Z:WorkWebSitestestf1test.php on line 5

As you can see the include reports warnings but the executeion was continued and so you can see the output of the second echo function. However using the require to include the same file we got a fatal error and the script was stoped. You can't find the Finish message in the output.

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Tags: php incluude file, php include, include file, file include, php, include, file

PHP include file - Table of contents
Step 1 - Include files introduction
Step 2 - The php include function
Step 3 - Include file more than once
Step 4 - The php require function
Step 5 - Include files only once