php.ini include_path

Question

I've searched all over the place and can't seem to find an answer for this. I'm trying to set an include path in the php.ini file of my local wamp server. I currently don't understand one of two things:

1. What to put in the quotes of the include path setting itself.
   For example, if I wanted to add C:\wamp\www as an include path, would it be
   include_path = ".;C:\wamp\www\"?
2. Where to put the include path line. Can I put it anywhere, or do I have to put it in a specific place?

Some common errors I've read about in my research that I've checked.

• I'm editing the php.ini file located at C:\wamp\bin\php\php5.3.8
• I've restarted the server after I've made my changes and have checked if it had updated using the phpinfo() function.

UPDATE
This is currently what I have, but it still doesn't work.

; Windows: "\path1;\path2"
include_path = ".;C:\php\pear;C:\wamp\www"

Solution 1

This all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Personally, I don't edit the php.ini file directly for setting include_paths, rather I use the following construct, in code:

// This will append whichever path you would like to the current include path
// PHP is smart enough to convert / with \ if on a Windows box
// If not you can replace / with DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR
set_include_path(get_include_path() . PATH_SEPARATOR . 'my/custom/path');

-- Edit --

Chances are there may be multiple copies of php.ini on your system, and that you are not editing the one that is being used by PHP.

Solution 2

The php.ini file will have include_path already in it, but commented out, that is where you should put it, by uncommenting it. It also has examples for windows. It will look like this, just remove the semicolon preceding "include_path"

; Windows: "\path1;\path2"
;include_path = ".;c:\php\includes"

Comments

[markus]

The include path is correct and it shows when you call phpinfo(). So how can you say it doesn't work?

[Kevin Pei]

It doesn't show in phpinfo for me for some reason... maybe it's my system or something

[markus]

And your phpinfo() also shows that the php.ini you're editing is actually the one which is loaded?

[Leandri]

Apache reads from wamp\bin\apache\Apachex.y.z\bin\php.ini file. You should add the include_path to that php.ini file and restart your wamp services

[Kevin Pei]

is this correct? ; include_path = ".;c:\php\includes;c:\wamp\www"

[Kevin Pei]

I could use this as a temporary fix, but I would rather put it into the php.ini file, as I want the changes to be global without me having to add the code to every single file.

[thenetimp]

Yes, but remove the ; from the beginning of the line ; is a comment in ini file syntax.

[Mike Purcell]

Understood. I use MVC so I set all include_path directives through one script and it affects the entire application.

[Kevin Pei]

If anyone refers to this in the future, please look at the solution below. I've marked this as answer because he has solved it in a comment on the post I've made blow

[ewroman]

did you restarted the php? or server?

[Kirk Ross]

I have my php7.3.3 installed in c:\php73 but there is no pear or includes folder in there... are you supposed to create an empty folder for php to use?