PHP pass variable to include

Question

I'm trying to pass a variable into an include file. My host changed PHP version and now whatever solution I try doesn't work.

I think I've tried every option I could find. I'm sure it's the simplest thing!

The variable needs to be set and evaluated from the calling first file (it's actually $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'], and needs to return the path of that file, not the included second.php).

OPTION ONE

In the first file:

global $variable;
$variable = "apple";
include('second.php');

In the second file:

echo $variable;

OPTION TWO

In the first file:

function passvariable(){
    $variable = "apple";
    return $variable;
}
passvariable();

OPTION THREE

$variable = "apple";
include "myfile.php?var=$variable"; // and I tried with http: and full site address too.


$variable = $_GET["var"]
echo $variable

None of these work for me. PHP version is 5.2.16.

What am I missing?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Speaking of passing a variable to include, it doesn't need any special action: any php variable defined prior calling include is already available in the included file (given it's available in the scope where include is called). This is exactly how include works.

While in order to pass a set of variables into a function that calls include inside, you can use extract()
Drupal use it, in its theme() function.

Here it is a render function with a $variables argument.

function includeWithVariables($filePath, $variables = array(), $print = true)
{
    // Extract the variables to a local namespace
    extract($variables);

    // Start output buffering
    ob_start();

    // Include the template file
    include $filePath;

    // End buffering and return its contents
    $output = ob_get_clean();
    if (!$print) {
        return $output;
    }
    echo $output;
}

**./index.php :**

includeWithVariables('header.php', array('title' => 'Header Title'));

./header.php :

<h1><?php echo $title; ?></h1>

Answer 2

Option 3 is impossible - you'd get the rendered output of the .php file, exactly as you would if you hit that url in your browser. If you got raw PHP code instead (as you'd like), then ALL of your site's source code would be exposed, which is generally not a good thing.

Option 2 doesn't make much sense - you'd be hiding the variable in a function, and be subject to PHP's variable scope. You'ld also have to have $var = passvariable() somewhere to get that 'inside' variable to the 'outside', and you're back to square one.

option 1 is the most practical. include() will basically slurp in the specified file and execute it right there, as if the code in the file was literally part of the parent page. It does look like a global variable, which most people here frown on, but by PHP's parsing semantics, these two are identical:

$x = 'foo';
include('bar.php');

and

$x = 'foo';
// contents of bar.php pasted here

Answer 3

Considering that an include statment in php at the most basic level takes the code from a file and pastes it into where you called it and the fact that the manual on include states the following:

When a file is included, the code it contains inherits the variable scope of the line on which the include occurs. Any variables available at that line in the calling file will be available within the called file, from that point forward.

These things make me think that there is a diffrent problem alltogether. Also Option number 3 will never work because you're not redirecting to second.php you're just including it and option number 2 is just a weird work around. The most basic example of the include statment in php is:

vars.php
<?php

$color = 'green';
$fruit = 'apple';

?>

test.php
<?php

echo "A $color $fruit"; // A

include 'vars.php';

echo "A $color $fruit"; // A green apple

?>

Considering that option number one is the closest to this example (even though more complicated then it should be) and it's not working, its making me think that you made a mistake in the include statement (the wrong path relative to the root or a similar issue).

Answer 4

I have the same problem here, you may use the $GLOBALS array.

$GLOBALS["variable"] = "123";
include ("my.php");

It should also run doing this:

$myvar = "123";
include ("my.php");

....

echo $GLOBALS["myvar"];

Have a nice day.

Answer 5

I've run into this issue where I had a file that sets variables based on the GET parameters. And that file could not updated because it worked correctly on another part of a large content management system. Yet I wanted to run that code via an include file without the parameters actually being in the URL string. The simple solution is you can set the GET variables in first file as you would any other variable.

Instead of:

include "myfile.php?var=apple";

It would be:

$_GET['var'] = 'apple';
include "myfile.php";

Answer 6

OPTION 1 worked for me, in PHP 7, and for sure it does in PHP 5 too. And the global scope declaration is not necessary for the included file for variables access, the included - or "required" - files are part of the script, only be sure you make the "include" AFTER the variable declaration. Maybe you have some misconfiguration with variables global scope in your PHP.ini?

Try in first file:

  <?php 
  $myvariable="from first file";
  include ("./mysecondfile.php"); // in same folder as first file LOLL
  ?>

mysecondfile.php

  <?php 
  echo "this is my variable ". $myvariable;
  ?>

It should work... if it doesn't just try to reinstall PHP.

Answer 7

In regards to the OP's question, specifically "The variable needs to be set and evaluated from the calling first file (it's actually '$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']', and needs to return the path of that file, not the included second.php)."

This will tell you what file included the file. Place this in the included file.

$includer = debug_backtrace();
echo $includer[0]['file'];

Answer 8

I know this is an old question, but stumbled upon it now and saw nobody mentioned this. so writing it.

The Option one if tweaked like this, it should also work.

The Original

Option One

In the first file:

global $variable; 
$variable = "apple"; 
include('second.php'); 

In the second file:

echo $variable;

TWEAK

In the first file:

$variable = "apple"; 
include('second.php');

In the second file:

global $variable;
echo $variable;

Answer 9

According to php docs (see $_SERVER) $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] is the "filename of the currently executing script".

The INCLUDE statement "includes and evaluates the specified" file and "the code it contains inherits the variable scope of the line on which the include occurs" (see INCLUDE).

I believe $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] will return the filename of the 1st file, even when used by code in the 'second.php'.

I tested this with the following code and it works as expected ($phpSelf is the name of the first file).

// In the first.php file
// get the value of $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] for the 1st file
$phpSelf = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];

// include the second file
// This slurps in the contents of second.php
include_once('second.php');

// execute $phpSelf = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; in the secod.php file
// echo the value of $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] of fist file

echo $phpSelf;  // This echos the name of the First.php file.

Answer 10

You can execute all in "second.php" adding variable with jQuery

<div id="first"></div>

<script>
$("#first").load("second.php?a=<?=$var?>")
</scrpt>

Answer 11

An alternative to using $GLOBALS is to store the variable value in $_SESSION before the include, then read it in the included file. Like $GLOBALS, $_SESSION is available from everywhere in the script.

Answer 12

Pass a variable to the include file by setting a $_SESSION variable

e.g.

$_SESSION['status'] = 1; include 'includefile.php';

// then in the include file read the $_SESSION variable

$status = $_SESSION['status'];

Answer 13

Try adding this:

$_GET['varable']; // from your URL or anything
include "adminchat.php";

This will directly pass the variable data to any links or command written in other file.

Answer 14

I found that the include parameter needs to be the entire file path, not a relative path or partial path for this to work.

Answer 15

This worked for me: To wrap the contents of the second file into a function, as follows:

firstFile.php

<?php
    include("secondFile.php");

    echoFunction("message");

secondFile.php

<?php
    function echoFunction($variable)
    {
        echo $variable;
    }

Answer 16

Do this:

$checksum = "my value"; 
header("Location: recordupdated.php?checksum=$checksum");