how do include a file outside the zencart directory

for my zencart is at dev.lapsf.com/estore folder

when trying to edit a file in the zencart by adding an include such as:

require_once('/left_nav.html');

(in order to get the file located at dev.lapsf.com/left_nav.html)

i get this error:

Warning: main(/left_nav.html) [function.main]: failed to open stream:
No such file or directory in
D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com\estore\includes\templates\lapsf\common\tpl_main_page.php
on line 57

Fatal error: main() [function.require]: Failed opening required
'/left_nav.html' (include_path='.;C:\php5\pear') in
D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com\estore\includes\templates\lapsf\common\tpl_main_page.php
on line 57

why doesnt the "/" refer to the root directory.. is there a filepath setting i need to change? am i insane!??!

apathy:

why doesnt the "/" refer to the root directory.. is there a filepath setting i need to change? am i insane!??!

Actually, it does refer to the root directory ... of your actual server. Not of your website.

Ah, ya. I got stuck on that one quite awhile ago. I didn't realize that the "root" wasn't the same to the browser as it was to apache (or IIS for that matter).

"/" means "root"
But the "root" of the filesystem would be, in your case, "D:"
and the "root" according to the browser would be "D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com"

Sometimes you can just use the reference to the file directly, if it exists in the same folder as your store root .... ie: if your "left_nav.html" file exists inside your D:\Share\CLient_Sites\lapsf.com\estore folder, you can just do an include on "left_nav.html". If it's up a level, in the lapsf.com folder instead, you could use "../left_nav.html"

Maybe that gives you some ideas.

chuck:

Ah, ya. I got stuck on that one quite awhile ago. I didn't realize that the "root" wasn't the same to the browser as it was to apache (or IIS for that matter).

"/" means "root"
But the "root" of the filesystem would be, in your case, "D:"
and the "root" according to the browser would be "D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com"

Sometimes you can just use the reference to the file directly, if it exists in the same folder as your store root .... ie: if your "left_nav.html" file exists inside your D:\Share\CLient_Sites\lapsf.com\estore folder, you can just do an include on "left_nav.html". If it's up a level, in the lapsf.com folder instead, you could use "../left_nav.html"

Maybe that gives you some ideas.

hmm im a bit confused still. i come from a linux bg and have to work on IIS.. does this have something to do with it?

chuck:

Ah, ya. I got stuck on that one quite awhile ago. I didn't realize that the "root" wasn't the same to the browser as it was to apache (or IIS for that matter).

"/" means "root"
But the "root" of the filesystem would be, in your case, "D:"
and the "root" according to the browser would be "D:\Share\Client_Sites\lapsf.com"

Sometimes you can just use the reference to the file directly, if it exists in the same folder as your store root .... ie: if your "left_nav.html" file exists inside your D:\Share\CLient_Sites\lapsf.com\estore folder, you can just do an include on "left_nav.html". If it's up a level, in the lapsf.com folder instead, you could use "../left_nav.html"

Maybe that gives you some ideas.

btw i did try doing things like ../../../../ until i got to the correct directory also.. i also tried using foward slashes /../../.

so is it safe to say that this in MY error though? not something i need to change in Zencart correct? That would really help me narrow it down. i feel REALLY retarded being stumped on this! but as i said.. this may be some sort of linux/IIS(ugh..) issue...

DrByte:

Actually, it does refer to the root directory ... of your actual server. Not of your website.

i know that.. which is why that should make sense and work.

apathy:

DrByte:

Actually, it does refer to the root directory ... of your actual server. Not of your website.

i know that.. which is why that should make sense and work.

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.

DrByte:

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.

i am working on a dreaded windows machine for the first time. this must be the problem. UGH!!!!!!!!!! thanks.

DrByte:

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?

apathy:

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?

nevermind i am very retarded.. i think i figured it out. i got confused because i was including in an include and was not looking at the file where everything is being included's location.. insteaded i was lookinng at the include.