require/include into variable

Question

I want to require/include a file and retrieve its contents into a variable.

test.php

Answer 1

If your included file returned a variable...

include.php

...then you can assign it to a variable like so...

$abc = include 'include.php';

Otherwise, use output buffering.

ob_start();
include 'include.php';
$buffer = ob_get_clean();