PHP Question

I am only just getting the hang of PHP, and i was getting confused about variables.

What is the point of them? I mean i know they are used to store data but wouldn't it be easier to just type in what you want?

Also, can you make an include file like "variables.inc.php" and then put all the variables you need in it, and then include them into the php file using

And then you can use them in the script after this, can you do it?

Thank in advance for helping me.

Variables are used for things that you use more than one time, lets say you need to know where a script is installed, you'll use a variable like this:
now, when you use links in your code you just paste the $site_root before it and when you change the variable it changes everywhere. This is perhaps not the best example but I think you get the point.

Including a page and using the variables in it is possible, yes.

Or you use variables to handle data that isn't always the same - such as user input.

Originally Posted by Spawny I am only just getting the hang of PHP, and i was getting confused about variables. What is the point of them? I mean i know they are used to store data but wouldn't it be easier to just type in what you want? Also, can you make an include file like "variables.inc.php" and then put all the variables you need in it, and then include them into the php file using PHP Code: <?php include 'variables.inc.php' ?> And then you can use them in the script after this, can you do it? Thank in advance for helping me.

Yup. I tend to use require() or require_once() though.

Variables are used for lots of things

counting loops:
Storing valuable data
Imagine you have a code that's long and complecated and is necessary to keep perfect, you could easily make a mistake typing it out a second time, so using a short variable name makes it quicker.

Function parametres
when writing a function, you can input parametres which when become variables inside the function.
Storing Data from a Database
Obviously you can keep things in variables in a database (though arrays are more efficient).

Configuration uses
Say if you made a commercial script for people to use, often there is a configuration document with a few variables (IE: for connecting to a database etc). If they weren't stored in variables you'd have to type out this information all by yourself one at a time. Bit time consuming..

Storing User input
When using forms, or data from URLs they have to be stored in arrays - (or variables depending on whether register globals are turned on or not). Without them you wouldn't be able to receive information from the user.

Thanks, everyones posts have helped me a lot.

Variable is the easiest and one quick way to hold a physical memory location in your RAM Module, to be used later within your program to hold a VARIABLE value. Once declared and initialised it locates the memory and store an initial value in it. Now you can keep on changing its value and accessing it on different positions in your code according to your requirements. Like sketchie mentioned above in iterations, functions, arrays, as constants, classes (as attributes), databases and program configuration.