Musings & Rants

So, you want to include (also include_once, require or require_once) another PHP file in one of your WordPress files?  Fine, but if your PHP file is in a different folder/directory to your WordPress installation you might run into problems.

After spending too long trawling the WordPress Codex trying to find a solution, I luckily found this post by Andy Fletcher – How to use a PHP include with WordPress

ABSPATH is your friend and the answer to your prayers.   For example, assume your PHP files are in a folder off your web root called “thefolder”, you would include them using:

<?php include(ABSPATH . ‘/thefolder/thefile.php’); ?>

Simple when you know how.

As a web developer I use a variety of Content Management Systems (CMS), either a bespoke solution I develop myself or more commonly an off the shelf (normally) Open Source platform.

I’ve been using the excellent CMS Made Simple for a couple of years now with great results (don’t let the “simple” in the name fool you, this is a feature-rich application) so when I was asked if I would like to review a copy of CMS Made Simple 1.6: Beginner’s Guide by Sofia Hauschildt I jumped at the chance.

Embarrassingly, I’ve had this copy of the book sitting by my desk for a couple of months but have been so busy with work I’ve not had the chance to flick past the first few pages.  However, now I’ve got some new CMSMS projects in the pipeline I’m looking forward to getting into the book and seeing what it can offer. Read the rest of this post…

The all-new Beehive pub in Peterborough opened it’s doors on Monday (my invite must have got lost in the post…) so I popped along for a spot of lunch and a nose around to see what new owners James and Sharon Trevor have done with the place.  For those of you that don’t know, they also own Jim’s Yard in Stamford and Jim’s Bistro in Peterborough (one of the best city centre restaurants in my opinion).

I’m going to go out on a limb and call The Beehive a bar – I don’t think it’s either a restaurant or a pub.  The impression I got is that it’s aimed more at wine and champagne than beers and lagers.  That’s not to say it only sells wine though, there are beers and lagers on tap!  As Peterborough already has some top notch cask ale pubs I think it’s wise not to compete with those, but is there demand for a wine bar?

So, on with the review…

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The Great Northern hotel in Peterborough – often the first sight visitors disembarking from the train see when they come through the station.  Now it seems the owners are struggling to get punters through the doors, suggesting that Peterborough residents should be using the hotel and it’s facilities more.

I’ve commented on an article in today’s Peterborough ET but their website loses all the formatting so I thought I would regurgitate it as a post on here.

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