Question about "Include" in shtml [Archive] - SEO Best Practices Search Engine Forums

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harv

07-02-2002, 03:55/03:55AM

Is there a way to pass parameters to an
include file within in an shtml file

so that you can effectively have a constant
block of code with a variable item of text ?

Harvey

ihelpyou

07-02-2002, 08:15/08:15AM

hey harv, good to read you again! :hi:

I don't know that answer. Anyone? :)

crifer

08-02-2002, 10:17/10:17AM

That wouldn't be a problem but i really don't get the mening of it? Do you have an example?

harv

08-02-2002, 10:36/10:36AM

Here's an example of what I'm trying to say.

Suppose I want to repeat a large section of text
on many pages. I would give each page an
shtml suffix and have a command such as



Now, suppose there is a number within this section
which needs to be different for each page.

I would like to say something like

For page 1:
set n=1


For page 2:
set n=2


so that the value of n appears in the
appropriate place

Harvey

crifer

08-02-2002, 11:18/11:18AM

Aha... That is easy, I don't know what language you use. I program in php and to include in an include file is not a problem.

Example:

Your include file looks like this and the name is name_include.php :

<p>My name is <? echo $name; ?></p>

--------------------
The page to display look like this:

<?php

$name = "crifer";

?>

<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>

<? include("name_include.php"); ?>

</body>
</html>

You have to put the variable that is containing text in the include file.

harv

08-02-2002, 12:17/12:17PM

Hi Kristoffer (I assume that's your first name).

You've lost me - I don't know anything about php.

Harvey

crifer

08-02-2002, 14:01/02:01PM

Yep, that my first name :)

What language do you program in?
My english isn't so good all the time (im swedish). I'll try explain it again.

If you want a value inside your include file you have to put the variable that hold that value inside that file.

Another example:

Variable containing the value volvo:
$thiscar = "volvo";

Inside the include file:
So, you need a $thiscar

----------

You have to give $thiscar a value before the include file is displaying. And the include file must contain the variable $thiscar

harv

08-02-2002, 15:10/03:10PM

Originally posted by crifer

What language do you program in?

I'm not sure about a 'language'.

I am simply setting up a .shtml file with
the basic html commands and calling,
via an include instruction , a .htm file

Harvey

crifer

08-02-2002, 15:23/03:23PM

Hmm.. Then you might have to use javascript or other language.. Html don't have the ability to parse document or pass values to other douments via the header...

What do you want to affect in the included file?

harv

08-02-2002, 16:23/04:23PM

Originally posted by crifer

What do you want to affect in the included file?

I would like the general facility to plug in any variable
and change it.

highman

08-02-2002, 17:13/05:13PM

harv im not a programmer, but from the sound of it you need to be using .asp or php to do this, i think shtml will provide the ability to use includes but not much else.

harv

10-02-2002, 07:09/07:09AM

Yes I agree that php will do this.

I'm just trying to understand Kristoffer's example.

Kristoffer, I'm not clear about the statement
"The page to display look like this"

Also must both files (i.e the main file
and the included file) have the PHP extension ?

It would be much appreciated if you could just list the
2 (?) files so that I can copy and run them.

Thanks
Harvey

crifer

10-02-2002, 09:28/09:28AM

Let's see if i can make i more clear

You can name the file whatever you want, as long as php find the file you don't even need a extention to the file. You could name it "this_is_not_a_file" and php still would parse it. But you need to name the document that you are going to display in the browser with the .php extention. I named the include file with the .php extention is just to make sure that php really will read it and parse the code.

I made the example on the fly, I can write you a real one if you want to, just ask. Maybe I didn't explain the page to display so good. The first <? ?> is like <script> is for javascript, you can also put the <? ?> in the html code as well, just like javascript. When you name a document with the .php extention you tell the server that this document contain ssi and php will parse the document. Then it will find the <? ?> tags and read and execute the code and send the finished document to you.

So according to the example below you first make a variable with the name $myname = "crifer"; php don't care about the html code and find the next "area" to parse, the include command. When php find the include command php know that it need a pointer that point to that name of the file. If the file exist php fill parse and display that file.

So if the include file contain a variable with the name $myname the name crifer will take that place.

--------------------
The page to display look like this:

<?php

$myname = "crifer";

?>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>

<? include("this_is_not_a_file"); ?>

</body>
</html>

harv

10-02-2002, 09:57/09:57AM

OK - I've got it now. Thanks

Presumably it is OK for the code
<?php
$myname = "crifer";
?>

to appear before the <html> line (which
is normally the first line in the source).

Harvey

harv

11-02-2002, 18:14/06:14PM

A question for Kristoffer:

You have given an example of a variable
$myname = "crifer";

Presumably you can have any long string of
characters in the variable, even HTML

Suppose you need to put the symbol "
in the string. Is there a way to do it ?

Harvey

crifer

12-02-2002, 08:49/08:49AM

Originally posted by harv

Presumably you can have any long string of
characters in the variable, even HTML

Suppose you need to put the symbol "
in the string. Is there a way to do it ?

Yes, you can put whatever you want in a variable. If you need to put the symbol " in a variable you have to narrow down the " to only a single '

Just ask if there is anything else, good luck