Is it possible to set include_path without using php.ini or .htaccess, affecting all PHP directories?

Question

On my localhost, I tinker with php.ini to set the include_path. But, overtime the line for the include_path in my php.ini has grown and it looks, ummm, unsightly. I'm looking for a way to set include_path like, I can copy-paste a single include line, say <?php include("superfile.php");?> on all pages, regardless of where they are in the directory tree, where superfile contains all include_path directives.

I've already tried,

<?php
    $include_path = $_SERVER["DOCUMENT_ROOT"] . "/more/directories/as/needed/";
    ini_set("include_path", $include_path);
    include("initialize.php");
?>

and saved it on the root folder as superfile.php . However if I want to set the include path of a file residing at, say root/sub, by way of superfile.php I need to do <?php include("../superfile.php"); ?> <?php include("../superfile.php"); ?> (with "directory up" dots), defeating my purpose of setting the include_path.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Answer 1

It sounds like you've removed all of your custom include_path directives from the php.ini.

To allow all scripts to call <?php include("superfile.php");?> simply add the one entry to your php.ini include_path that will allow this, and your set.