Title: Calling a php file within a php file
Last modified: August 21, 2016

---

# Calling a php file within a php file

 *  [djones8520](https://wordpress.org/support/users/djones8520/)
 * (@djones8520)
 * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/calling-a-php-file-within-a-php-file/)
 * I’m having trouble calling a php file from within a php file. What I’m trying
   to do is create a shortcode that will call a php file that will display some 
   content on a page.
 * The shortcode part works, because I have displayed something simple to test that
   it’s working. I have used include in the past, but that was for when I wanted
   to use a function from another file. I want the whole file to run, not a function.
 * I humored myself and tried include(“file.php”) and include file.php and neither
   works. From what I’ve read the exec command should work, but that hasn’t worked
   for me either.
 * exec(‘php file.php’) is an example of what I’ve tried.
 * Thanks for any suggestions.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  [cabrailsford](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cabrailsford/)
 * (@cabrailsford)
 * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/calling-a-php-file-within-a-php-file/#post-5048307)
 * Include should work for you, or if you NEED the file to be in place, require(‘
   php file.php’) _though I’d suggest not having spaces in your file name, even 
   if this is an example_. Without seeing the parameters of what you’re attempting,
   it may be hard to help further.
 *  [Dion](https://wordpress.org/support/users/diondesigns/)
 * (@diondesigns)
 * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/calling-a-php-file-within-a-php-file/#post-5048350)
 * If your PHP script wants to include a file from the same directory, the proper
   format would be:
 * `include(dirname(__FILE__) . '/file.php');`
 * If you omit the `dirname(__FILE__)` portion, PHP will look for the file in the
   current working directory (“cwd”), which in the case of WordPress will be either
   the root WP directory, or `root/wp-admin`.
 * `__DIR__` can be used in place of `dirname(__FILE__)` with PHP 5.3 or later. 
   For more information:
 * [http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.constants.predefined.php](http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.constants.predefined.php)
 *  Thread Starter [djones8520](https://wordpress.org/support/users/djones8520/)
 * (@djones8520)
 * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/calling-a-php-file-within-a-php-file/#post-5048374)
 * It doesn’t seem to be working. The code I’m using is
 *     ```
       function displayStaff(){
       echo "Test<br />";
       include(dirname(__FILE__) . '/displayStaff.php');
       echo "Test2";
       }
       add_shortcode('displayStaff', 'displayStaff');
       ```
   
 * The 2nd php file is
 *     ```
       <?php
       	echo "<h1>Hi</h1>";
       ?>
       ```
   
 * The Test and Test2 print, but not the Hi. The files are in the same direction.
 * Thanks for the help.
 *  [Dion](https://wordpress.org/support/users/diondesigns/)
 * (@diondesigns)
 * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/calling-a-php-file-within-a-php-file/#post-5048403)
 * Please try the following function. It should assist in your solving this problem.
   You’ll know what to do if you see the “file not found” message. If you see the“
   File found!” message but not the “test123” message, there is an error in your
   included file. or an open_basedir restriction is not allowing you to include 
   the file..
 *     ```
       function displayStaff(){
       	if (file_exists(dirname(__FILE__) . '/displayStaff.php')) {
       		echo 'File Found!<br />';
       		include(dirname(__FILE__) . '/displayStaff.php');
       		echo '<br />Test123';
       	}
       	else {
       		echo 'File not found: ' . dirname(__FILE__) . '/displayStaff.php';
       	}
       }
       ```
   
 *  Thread Starter [djones8520](https://wordpress.org/support/users/djones8520/)
 * (@djones8520)
 * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/calling-a-php-file-within-a-php-file/#post-5048407)
 * Defiantly a stupid moment… The file name was staffDisplay.php. I always knew 
   I should have if statements in case the file isn’t found, but I never do. I suppose
   sometimes you learn the hard way.
 * Thanks

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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## Tags

 * [php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php/)

 * In: [Hacks](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/plugins-and-hacks/hacks/)
 * 5 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [djones8520](https://wordpress.org/support/users/djones8520/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/calling-a-php-file-within-a-php-file/#post-5048407)
 * Status: not resolved

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