PHP include syntax examples

PHP FAQ: Can you show an example of how to use the PHP include syntax? Also, can you show an example of how to include HTTP content into a PHP script?

PHP include syntax to include a file

Sure, I just used the PHP include statement in developing a Drupal theme, and a simple form of the PHP include syntax to include a file looks like this:

<? include 'google-analytics.inc' ?>

This includes the contents of the file named "google-analytics.inc" into my PHP page output.

While that PHP include example works just fine, this following PHP include syntax may be more politically correct:

<? include('google-analytics.inc'); ?>

This makes more sense when you think that a series of PHP statements might look like this:

<? 
// do the include here
include('google-analytics.inc'); 

// do something else here
echo "More HTML here ...";
?>

HTML PHP include syntax

Depending on your PHP system configuration, you may also be able to easily include HTTP content in your PHP page, using the HTML PHP include syntax:

<?php

include 'http://www.devdaily.com/';

?>

However, if your system is not configured properly, you'll get an error message that looks something like this:

Warning: include(): http:// wrapper is disabled in the server configuration by allow_url_include=0 in /Users/Al/DevDaily/PHP/incl.php on line 4

Warning: include(http://www.devdaily.com/): failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /Users/Al/DevDaily/PHP/incl.php on line 4

Warning: include(): Failed opening 'http://www.devdaily.com/' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php') in /Users/Al/DevDaily/PHP/incl.php on line 4