Variable scope in a required file

Question

I'm calling a file named ajax.php (from my browser for testing)

ajax.php require_once delete.php

delete.php require_once no_direct.php

delete.php starts like this:

$allowed = array('group'=>'admin');
require_once(ASSETS.'/no_direct.php'); //Yes, ASSETS is defined and no_direct is being included.

In no_direct.php I'm trying to:

var_dump($allowed)

and I just keep coming up NULL.

Does this happen because we are running inside ajax.php's require_once function and the scope of $allowed pushes back to the GLOBAL scope not allowing me to access it from no_delete.php?

I was looking here: PHP variable defined in 'parent' file not recognized in 'required' file , just to be diligent.

I'm sure I could solve this with the GLOBAL keyword, but I was hoping for a little clarification. The PHP scope doc didn't seem to answer the question for me.

It wasn't wrapped in another function as thought to be the case.

Answer 1

Is there any chance that you already have called require_once(ASSETS.'/no_direct.php'); before you assigned value to $allowed?

require_once(ASSETS.'/no_direct.php');
...

$allowed = array('group'=>'admin');
require_once(ASSETS.'/no_direct.php');

Script no_direct.php should not output $allowed in this case.

Output will be:

Notice: Undefined variable: allowed in D:\wampserver\www\gim\no_direct.php on line 2
NULL 

p.s. there's my path on localhost in wamp for my test file