Can't include catalog functions in seperate PHP file.

I have created a folder on root and with some php files in it.
Whenever i include the following line at the top of the php file:

require('../includes/functions/functions_general.php');

I get error that "failed to open this file.

Please note that path is correct, i have checked it 10 times.

What is the reason for that?

How can I resolve this issue?

Please explain in detail what it is you are trying to accomplish

I just want to call zen functions like storing data in database using $db->Execute plus some other functions for reading categories and sub categories name using zen cart functions.

I have created a new php file on root directory where zen cart is installed but I'm not able to access these functions in the php files created at root.

For example https://www.mydomain.com/myphpfile.php

In this file i want to call zen cart functions for accessing database and some other functions for categories manipulation.

The zen cart functions are at:

https://www.mydomain.com/includes/functions/....

Please let me know if this is clear now.

So, you're writing scripts to run completely outside of Zen Cart but you want to hijack Zen Cart code to do something from outside Zen Cart?

No, in fact I'm using Ajax using Jquery. The files are placed at different folders because when I place my php files inside includes/functions directory i'm not able to access it through AJAX call therefore i placed my files in root directory.

When I place files in root directory i no longer can access zen cart functions.

I'm not doing any hijacking or cracking stuff just adding AJAX calls to my zencart.

Your script needs to load /includes/application_top.php ... which will in turn load everything else needed for Zen Cart operation, including the functions files.

Can try this

require('includes/application_top.php'); 

When I include require('../includes/application_top.php') at the top of the file, the function used inside my php file 'json_encode() stops working.

Can you tell me the reason for this?

Why are you adding "../"?

IF i don't add that I get the following error:

[28-May-2011 08:03:36] PHP Warning: require(/includes/application_top.php) [<a href='function.require'>function.require</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/serverpath/myinfo.php
on line 3
[28-May-2011 08:03:36] PHP Fatal error: require() [<a href='function.require'>function.require</a>]: Failed opening required '/includes/application_top.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/serverpath/myinfo.php on line 3

Sounds like a puzzling folder structure.

If you have your ZenCart in a folder - - say "shop"

Try this and adjust for the folder name where you do have ZenCart installed

require('shop/includes/application_top.php');

Zen cart is installed at root and my new folder is also placed at the root.
I'm also confused why this error comes if i remove '../' before the folder path.
I'm trying to fix this error.

Okay, if your script is stuffed into another folder, then yes you'll need to use the "../" to get it to load.

As for why your json script breaks, that's impossible to know without having a complete copy of your script and knowing what exactly it's trying to do.
Maybe you should turn on PHP error reporting and see what errors are being encountered by your script?

Can you tell me how can I turn on PHP error reporting?

Dr. Byte, i want to store new data into the database using $db->Execute function.

Is there any specific file i can include at the top to access this function?

PHP Code:

require('../admin/includes/functions/database.php');

if ($_POST['submit_personal']) {
	/* First Name validations Start */
	if (empty($_POST['firstname'])) {
		$message['status'] = false;
		$message['position'] = 'firstname';
	    $message['message'] = ' Enter first name...';	
	    echo json_encode($message);
	}
	else if (!preg_match("#^[-A-Za-z' ]*$#",$_POST['firstname'])) {
	  	$message['status'] = false;
		$message['position'] = 'firstname';
	   	$message['message'] = ' Not a valid first name...';
	   	echo json_encode($message);
	}
	/* First Name validations End */

	else {
	
		$query = "INSERT INTO my_table (expert_id, 
												 expert_firstname
												 ) 
	
		VALUES ('NULL', 
												 '".zen_db_prepare_input($_POST['firstname'])."'						 )" ;
			
	
		mysql_query($query);
		$_SESSION['expert_id'] = zen_db_insert_id();
		$message['status'] = true;
		$message['message'] = 'Your personal data is successfully added';
		echo json_encode($message);
	}
}

This code works fine but if i include require('../includes/application_top.php'); at the top the script stops working.

You can't re-load that database.php file if you've already loaded application_top. You'll need to remove that line.
And, if this is all intended to be admin-side, then you should be loading the admin application_top, not the storefront one.

Dr. Byte i have found one problem when i include
require('../includes/application_top.php');

That AJAX stops working, whatever i send to JS file using echo command nothing appears on JS file.

I'm using JQUERY as shown:

success: function(response, status){
alert(response.length);
}

The length received is 0 but if i remove the application_top.php file i receive 167 bytes in response variable from PHP script.

Do you think there is any problem with application_top.php which hinders AJAX Call back?

P.S: I'm working on Store end not Admin end.

Using application top is appropriate and much safer than trying to include functions independently of their context.

However, to do so your admin ajax handler would need to be in your admin's root folder. From your path names, it looks as though you have it in a folder sitting alongside the place it needs to be.