FayazMiraz

Functionally it is very close, but still not the same. Since "include() or die()" will never generate a Fetal Error, but "require()" will.

So, in an Advanced PHP application, where you'll have your customized Error Handler (which perhaps does some additional task when "Fetal Error" occurs), they will produce different results.

There are many ways to do this, but for simplicity try this:
include("../header.php");

when you add a "../" before file, it means PHP will look for that file one directory ahead of current include directory.

Similarly. if you are two directory below, then add two "../", for example:
include("../../header.php");

This is true for almost all programming languages, not just PHP.

Hi kobyn,

Interesting, that's why it's hard to provide the correct solution without looking into the code. I'm sharing some thoughts with you, but if it still doesn't resolve your problem, you can send me your code to my email. I'll take a look.

Anyways, what I see from your comment, there might actually be two problems:

1. You are right about using absolute path. But most probably, you are missing one key point: context of include() or require().

When you are including "root/includes/header.php" from "root/artists/artist.php", the PATH context still is "root/artists/". So, in case you include any file in header.php, context will be changing depending on the file from where header.php is included. So that will break any other include you make from header.php.

To resolve this, in header.php, (A) include all the files using absolute PATH of header.php itself OR (B) change directory context when you are inside header.php.

So header.php will have code either like (A) or (B):

(A) [using real path of header.php]
$header_path = "YOUR_REAL_HEADER_PATH";
....
include_once($header_path . '/../path1/file1.php');
include_once($header_path . '/../path2/file2.php');
....

(B) [changing file include context]
// at the beginning of header.php
$tmp_dir = getcwd();
chdir(realpath(dirname(__FILE__)));

....
// from here all file include directory context is "/root/includes/"
// so include other files (if any) according to this current directory of "header.php".
....

// at the end of header.php
chdir($tmp_dir);

2. Relative PATH and Relative URL (llnk) are not the same thing and they are completely independent from each other.
So if I take your example: when you are including header.php from "/artists/artist.php", let's say you have a CSS link from in header.php like this:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style.css" type="text/css" />

This has nothing to do with the include() you used in artist.php to include your header file "header.php". Rather, the problem occurs when the browser tries to load your css file. In case of your home page, browser will try to load the css file from "http://your_site/css/style.css" and in case of "/artists/artist.php", browser will try to load it from "http://your_site/artists/css/style.css".

I'm not sure if this is the problem in your case, but if it is, then to solve it, the best way is to use absolute URL to include your resources.

So, in your header.php include all your resources, preceding by your site address. For example:

<?PHP
$base_url = 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'];
?>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="< ?PHP echo $base_url;?>/css/style.css" type="text/css" />

----------------------------
I hope this helps.

Hi Vijaya,

Can you provide a little more details about your problem? Or perhaps a sample link?

Normally, PHP shows error if it is unable to include a file. Make sure error reporting is on (use the following CODE) and PHP should point out the problem.

// use this CODE at the very beginning of index.php and make sure it's not changed anywhere else
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set("display_errors", 1);

Actually there is nothing called "advanced PHP". Any topic that amateurs generally avoid, or any best practice that is learnt in time through experience can be considered as advanced.

Normally, if you can read the complete PHP manual, then you'll learn most advanced stuff. Also go through users' comments in manual.

Also you can read articles/blog-posts/tutorials from experienced PHP developers and community. Zend Developer Zone is a good place to start.