Preview
Video Player
00:00
00:00
Combining Multiple Files with Includes
3:58Instead of writing all our code in a single file, PHP allows us to INCLUDE other files, so they function as part of the current page, while keeping them separate. This is very useful for organization and not repeating code for things such as footers and navigation.
You've learned a lot about programming
in this course variables, operators, and
0:00
conditionals.
0:04
You've also learned how to
make PHP work on a web page.
0:05
The last thing we're going to
do is add the unit converter and
0:08
the daily exercise
program to this web page.
0:11
We could copy the code from
each of these files and
0:14
paste it into our HTML just like
the other code blocks on our web page.
0:17
We don't have a lot of code now.
0:21
But as you write more
complex applications,
0:22
you'll be writing many many lines of code.
0:25
When that happens,
splitting up your code into multiple files
0:28
makes it easier to find, read and
work with a specific section of code.
0:31
Just like linking to a CSS, file
instead of having all our styles inline
0:36
PHP allows us to include other files so
0:40
they function, as part of this page,
while keeping them separate.
0:43
So let's jump back to our code.
0:47
Before we start including our
other page piece scripts.
0:49
Let's clean up our file structure.
0:53
To keep our files organized and
0:55
know at a glance where to find
the files we need to work with.
0:57
It's a good idea to have
your main directory
1:00
only contain the actual pages
that will show on a site.
1:02
All other files should be sorted into
subfolders, such as CSS and IMG.
1:06
Typically files we are including
are stored in a folder named inc,
1:12
short for include.
1:17
Let's create an inc folder and
move our other PHP files into this folder.
1:17
The only file we should have in
the main directory is index.php.
1:30
Now, let's include the unit
converter on our webpage.
1:41
An include works as if I had pasted
the code exactly where I placed
1:45
the include code.
1:49
I already have a header on the page
that says Unit Conversion.
1:50
Let's include our script
below that line. As always,
1:56
start by opening and
closing the PHP code block.
2:00
Within the code block we
use the keyword include,
2:04
followed by the file we wish to
include surrounded in quotes.
2:08
Since our file's within a folder, we
need to reference that folder as well so
2:12
we use inc/units.
2:16
with dot PHP, and
we end our statement with a semicolon.
2:20
Let's save this page and
refresh the browser.
2:25
Great, our conversion displays
exactly where we place the include.
2:29
The problem is that
the formatting is not very good.
2:33
It's all smushed together and
hard to read.
2:36
When we display a text on a website we
need to use HTML tags for formatting.
2:39
Let's edit our units.php file and
add those tags.
2:44
We'll add HTML paragraph
tags around the weight.
2:48
Then we'll add separate paragraph
tags around the distance.
2:58
Now we can save our page and
refresh the browser.
3:06
This time we see the weight and
3:11
distance on separate lines
making it much easier to read.
3:12
One down, one to go.
3:16
Let's add the daily exercise
to this page as well.
3:18
I have another header
called daily exercise.
3:21
Let's include our exercise.php
file below that header.
3:25
Open and close another PHP block.
3:29
And within that block we use
the include keyword again.
3:32
And this time we'll use
inc/exercise.php and
3:38
end the line with a semicolon.
3:43
Let's save the page and
refresh the browser.
3:47
Great job.
3:52
We now have our unit conversion and
our daily exercise listed on our Web page.
3:53