php - Include files from parent or other directory

Question

I'm needing to include a file from the parent directory, and other sub-directories, into a sub-directory. I've done it before by simply using include('/rootdirectory/file.php'); but now it won't seem to work.

Just wondering how I can do this, thanks.

Here's my exact line:

include('/forums/groups.php');

It's giving me this error(the page still runs):

Warning: include(/forums/groups.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in C:xampphtdocsforumslogposts.php on line

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/forums/groups.php' for inclusion (include_path='.;C:xamppphpPEAR') in C:xampphtdocsforumslogposts.php on line 3

Answer 1

include() and its relatives take filesystem paths, not web paths relative to the document root. To get the parent directory, use ../

include('../somefilein_parent.php');
include('../../somefile_2levels_up.php');

If you begin with a /, an absolute system file path will be used:

// Full absolute path...
include('/home/username/sites/project/include/config.php');