how do include a file outside the zencart directory

[apathy]

No, it's exactly opposite to what you wanted.


You wanted it to load
D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com\left_nav.html

But instead you told it to load:
/left_nav.html

... which looks for "left_nav.html" at the root of the server's hard drive, not the webroot.

If you intend to use PHP's "require" or "include" commands, you have to remember that PHP looks at files according to the Operating System of the server ... NOT the webroot the way a browser would.

alright i am confused now. from tpl_main_page.php inside D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com\estore\includes\templates\lapsf\common\
i tried including files in the same directory.. worked fine.. i also tried including file up one directory from and it worked fine, but if i try to include something out of the D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com\estore\includes\templates\lapsf\ .. in other words if i try to include something inside the template folder or above i get a fatal error where as including anything in the lapsf folder or common folder does not. and yest he file exists in all the places i tried to call it. is there a reason i cant seem to move out of the lapsf folder?