Howto: PHP setup include_path

Author: Vivek Gite Last updated: August 29, 2006 8 comments

Q. How do I set PHP include path?

Method # 1- Edit php.ini file using vi text editor

Edit your /etc/php.ini file using vi text editor, type the following command at shell prompt (some Linux distro stored file at /etc/php.d/cgi/php.ini location):
# vi /etc/php.ini
Find out include_path directive and change value as per your requirements. For example following includes default path /usr/share/php and current directory. Add /apps/php directory to this path:
include_path = ".:/usr/share/php:/apps/php"

Save and close the file. Restart the web server.
# /etc/init.d/httpd restart

Method # 2 – Use ini_set function

Use ini_set to set include_path value or the given configuration option. It returns the old value on success, FALSE on failure.
For example add following to your own php script:
<? ini_set('include_path',ini_get('include_path').':../includes:'); ?>
OR
<? ini_set("include_path", ".:../:./include:../include"); ?>

Method # 2 is quite useful if your UNIX or Linux hosting provider does not provides access to php.ini file.

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8 comments… add one

sanjay Katiyar Mar 24, 2009 @ 6:00
Vivek,
In my php.ini (Fedora 8 server) file inlcude_path is commented but in the phpinfo() says
include_path “.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php” .
From where it is getting these values?
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- 🐧 nixCraft Mar 24, 2009 @ 11:08
  If something is commented, php will use default value.
  Reply Link

finau Oct 6, 2009 @ 1:27

instead of using the include_path, you can use this function.

function includeFile($file_name){

   $dir = array('./', 'lib/', 'db/', 'student/');    //<-- put here your website directory you want to include
   $level = array('', '/', '../', '../../');    //<-- you can add more deep level in this array
   $ini_path = array();
   
   foreach($dir as $p){
   
      foreach($level as $l){
         $file = $l.$p.$file_name;       
         if(file_exists($file)){
            include_once($file);
            return; 
         }       
      }   
   }
} //end function includeFile
 
//example of using it  
includeFile('html.php');
includeFile('libpage.php');

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tolu Oct 1, 2011 @ 11:40
Perfect! Just solved my problem of setting my include path..
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dummy Feb 8, 2010 @ 11:50
do u know how to include a folder (consist lot php files) into another php file?
Let’s says abc/ice, ice is a folder with lot php files inside.
Here I got another abc/ice2/index.php. How to include all files in ice to index.php?
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Josh Oct 8, 2011 @ 11:15
Hi i am new to all this so please explain like i am a child,
Basic i have a user and video folders creater in my registration and i need to access it on my client a.php & b.php on two different folder
How do i setting include path to access the video on registration to be seen on a.php and b.php
Many thanks
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tim Nov 21, 2011 @ 8:48
Simple solution…thanks for sharing.
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Malik Perang Dec 31, 2012 @ 10:49
how do i change the path? is it in ini_get(‘include_path’) or :../includes:’)
please help me
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