Question

So, if you try to do a nested class like this:

//nestedtest.php

class nestedTest{
    function test(){
         class E extends Exception{}
         throw new E;
    }
}

You will get an error Fatal error: Class declarations may not be nested in [...]

but if you have a class in a separate file like so:

//nestedtest2.php

class nestedTest2{
    function test(){
         include('e.php');
         throw new E;
    }
}

//e.php
class E Extends Exception{}

So, why does the second hacky way of doing it work, but the non-hacky way of doing it does not work?

Answer 1

From the manual (http://php.net/manual/en/function.include.php):

When a file is included, the code it
contains inherits the variable scope
of the line on which the include
occurs. Any variables available at
that line in the calling file will be
available within the called file, from
that point forward. However, all
functions and classes defined in the
included file have the global scope.