In my ASP tutorial you will learn about ASP, and how to execute scripts on your server.

ASP Tutorial: ASP Including Files

ASP Including Files

The #include directive is used to create
functions, headers, footers, or elements that will be reused on multiple pages.



The #include Directive


You can insert the content of one ASP file into another ASP
file before the server executes it, with the #include directive. The #include
directive is used to create functions, headers, footers, or elements that will
be reused on multiple pages.



How to Use the #include Directive


Here is a file called "mypage.asp":









<html> 
<body> 
<h3>Words of Wisdom:</h3>
<p><!--#include file="wisdom.inc"--></p> 
<h3>The time is:</h3>
<p><!--#include file="time.inc"--></p>
</body> 
</html>


Here is the "wisdom.inc" file:









"One should never increase, beyond what is necessary,
the number of entities required to explain anything."

Here is the "time.inc" file:









<%
Response.Write(Time)
%>

If you look at the source code in a browser, it will look
something like this:









<html>
<body>
<h3>Words of Wisdom:</h3>
<p>"One should never increase, beyond what is necessary,
the number of entities required to explain anything."</p>
<h3>The time is:</h3>
<p>11:33:42 AM</p>
</body>
</html>





Syntax for Including Files


To include a file in an ASP page, place the #include directive
inside comment tags:









<!--#include virtual="somefilename"-->

or

<!--#include file ="somefilename"-->

The Virtual Keyword


Use the virtual keyword to indicate a path beginning with a
virtual directory.


If a file named "header.inc" resides in a virtual
directory named /html, the following line would insert the contents of
"header.inc":









<!-- #include virtual ="/html/header.inc" -->

The File Keyword


Use the file keyword to indicate a relative path. A relative
path begins with the directory that contains the including file.


If you have a file in the html directory, and the file
"header.inc" resides in html\headers, the following line would insert
"header.inc" in your file:









<!-- #include file ="headers\header.inc" -->

Note that the path to the included file (headers\header.inc)
is relative to the including file. If the file containing this #include
statement is not in the html directory, the statement will not work.



Tips and Notes


In the sections above we have used the file extension
".inc" for included files. Notice that if a user tries to browse an
INC file directly, its content will be displayed. If your included file contains
confidential information or information you do not want any users to see, it is
better to use an ASP extension. The source code in an ASP file will not be
visible after the interpretation. An included file can also include other files,
and one ASP file can include the same file more than once.


Important: Included files are processed and inserted
before the scripts are executed.


The following script will not work because ASP executes the
#include directive before it assigns a value to the variable:









<%
fname="header.inc"
%>
<!--#include file="<%=fname%>"-->

You cannot open or close a script delimiter in an INC file.
This script will not work:









<%
For i = 1 To n
  <!--#include file="count.inc"-->
Next
%>

But this script will work:









<% For i = 1 to n %>
<!--#include file="count.inc" -->
<% Next %>

 
Posted by JONAS