Including files/folders via php shortcode

Question

I am trying to include php files inside of my wordpress page by using shortcodes. Is there a way to include specific files or even entire folders just using shortcodes?

I found some code that potentially links to other files.

/* SHORTCODE TO HAVE FILES */
function sc_include($atts, $inc) {
  return get_include_contents($inc);
}
 
 // .trim removes wihtespace from both sides of a string
function get_include_contents($filename) {
  ob_start();
  // you can change the directory
  $filename = get_theme_root().'/'.get_template().'/'.trim($filename);
  if (is_file($filename)) {        
     @include($filename);
   }
   return ob_get_clean();
}
 
add_shortcode('include', 'sc_include');

Im a bit confused with get_theme_root() and get_template(). I may be wrong, but if get_theme_root shows the theme I am working with, why should I worry about a template? Is there some other way I could be able to showcase specific folders or files?

Answer 1

The shortcode runs a PHP function you define, which among other things can include files.

By the way, what your attached function does is include a file but wraps that in a call to ob_start and ob_get_clean thus returning the output as HTML.

get_theme_root() gets the folder of all themes. Inside of it there's your theme. You could use another function(s) like get_template_directory_uri to get the correct path to the required file.