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Using ./ When Including Files?


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In the ecommerce book, in chapter 3, you include files like so: include('./includes/header.html');

doesn't include('includes/header.html') do the same thing? Why use the ./  I don't understand. This wasn't covered in the other book I read from you php and mysql 4th edition.

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Hi,

 

In Larry's book, PHP & MySQL for Dynamic Websites, on page 90, he has a good explanation:

 

"As a best practice, use the ./filename syntax when referring to files within the same directory as the parent (including) file, ...  A file stored in a directory above the parent file would be included using the path ../filename, and a file stored in a directory below the parent file would use ./directory/filename".

 

You can also go up (../) and then down again if necessary - e.g., ../next_level_up_directory/then_down_from_there_directory/filename.

 

I believe that they are referred to as 'document relative paths'.

 

Hope it helps, Cheers.

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As far as I know, there's no difference between using ./includes/header.html and includes/header.html, as both refer to the same file. The former explicitly says to start in the current directory whereas the latter implicitly states that. 

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