Question

Simply put:

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

VS

<? include("open.php?page=about"); ?>

VS

<? $x="varToPass"; include("open.php"); ?>

Why can this not be done, surely this should have been programmed into. And if not can I edit the raw/core PHP C files to achieve this.

Answer 1

The simple answer. There is no need to pass parameters like this.

include 'open.php?page=about&something=true&more=rubbish';

versus

$page = 'about';
$something = true;
$more = 'rubbish';

include 'open.php';

I think it’s quite easy to see which is more readable, and they both achieve exactly what you are trying to do.

The fact is that the include statement literally includes the code from the indicated file at the point you reference it.

You can treat the file doing the including, as having the source of open.php at the exact place you wrote the include statement.

Edit:

To answer the second part of your question. Yes you could modify the source and achieve this, but it would be a largely pointless exercise.

Edit 2:

It has also occurred to me that perhaps you think you want to include files by URL.

For example include 'http://127.0.0.1/open.php?page=about'

In this case it is completely possible, as the http stream wrapper will be invoked, and variables will be passed to the file you requested.

This behaviour is DISABLED BY DEFAULT BECAUSE IT POSES A MASSIVE SECURITY RISK.

You can turn it on by editing the allow_url_include value in php.ini. But I suggest that you don’t.