How to Return Values from Included Files in PHP

Returning from Included Files in PHP

In PHP, you may encounter situations where you need to return from an included script back to the script that included it. While the return() statement doesn't function as expected in this scenario, there are alternative approaches to achieve this.

Method using the require function:

You can use the require or require_once functions instead of include. These functions both include the specified file, but they also allow you to return a value from the included file.

<code class="php">// In the included file (includeme.php)
return 5;

// In the main script (main.php)
$myX = require 'includeme.php';</code>

In this example, the includeme.php file returns 5, which is then assigned to the $myX variable in the main script.

Method using the global $return variable:

Another way to return a value from an included file is to use a global variable named $return. This variable can be set within the included file, and its value can be accessed by the main script.

<code class="php">// In the included file (includeme.php)
global $return;
$return = 5;

// In the main script (main.php)
include 'includeme.php';
$myX = $return;</code>

In this approach, the global $return variable is set to 5 within the included file. The main script can then retrieve and assign its value to $myX.

These methods allow you to return values from included files and handle the flow of execution accordingly. Remember, this can be a convenient feature for configuring simple applications or creating reusable modules.

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