getting php working directory path

Question

My file structure is here

-www
  -myAppDirectory
     -init
        -connect.php
     -products
        -api.php

products/api.php file will include the init/connect.php file like following.

<?php
 include_once("./connect.php");

users can call api.php from browser.

but it gives warning

Warning: include_once(./connect.php): failed to open stream

I try using this:

include_once($_SERVER["DOCUMENT_ROOT"] . "/connect.php");

but it gives warning,

Warning: include_once(D:\init\www/connect.php): failed to open stream

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 10 '14 at 06:55

2

Using absolute path is always good (clean and solid).

include_once(__DIR__ . "/../init/connect.php");

answered Sep 10 '14 at 06:55

xdazz

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what means "/../" in path? – barteloma Sep 10 '14 at 06:57
"/../" go to parent directory. – Iago Sep 10 '14 at 06:57
@bookmarker See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21249525/what-difference-in/21249534#21249534 – xdazz Sep 10 '14 at 06:58
I read link thanks but clear something, is root directory www, and is current directory myAppDirectory? or is current directory requested file directory? – barteloma Sep 10 '14 at 07:01

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 10 '14 at 06:54

1

try ../ for out the products dir then add path connect.php

include_once("../init/connect.php");

you can also use (not tested) ./ for root

include_once("./init/connect.php");

answered Sep 10 '14 at 06:54

Rakesh Sharma

13,680
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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 10 '14 at 06:54

1

include_once("./connect.php");

will check for a file outside the parent directory ie., outside products and there is no any file connect.php outside it. You have to use

include_once("../init/connect.php");

answered Sep 10 '14 at 06:54

Jenz

8,280
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77

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

I try to give more detailed answer.

For starters I'd like to mention what is __DIR__ it's one of PHP: Magic constants

It contains the path of the directory in which your current script is executed. In your case, something similar to: D:\init\www\myAppDirectory\products without ending slash (on windows)/back-slash (linux, etc.)

So for example __FILE__ would give you D:\init\www\myAppDirectory\products\api.php

Now if you want to include file from relatively closer directory, I'd prefer to use:

include_once("../init/connect.php");

(maybe not required but) Also it's good practice to use DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR

include_once(".." . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . "init". DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR ."connect.php");

You can also use dirname($path) function:

$myAppDir = dirname(__DIR__); // D:\init\www\myAppDirectory
include $myAppDir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . "init". DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR ."connect.php"

Also include can be faster than include_once because the last one have to check first over the included files.

Why is require_once so bad to use?

getting php working directory path

4 Answers4