How to solve include() Error in PHP

Question

I have recently purchased a computer and am using it as a dedicated server. A friend helped me install PHP and configure. I am saying this because I wonder if using a newer version of PHP (compared to my commercial web host) may be the reasoning behind the error I am receiving.

I created a function to generate a form submission key.
- This created hidden variable for forms
- This is also session variable

With this function I have an include for the file containing the mySQL database, username and password. I know this file is being accessed because I added:

echo $mySQL_user;
following the login credentials. 

But when I remove this line from mySQL_user_login.inc.php and place within the function on the line following the include the "echo € returns nothing.

include("mySQL_user_login.inc.php");

echo $mySQL_user;

Can any of you tell me why this is happening?

Answer 1

Is the "echo $mySQL_user;" inside of a function? I believe you'll need to say "global $mySQL_user;" to gain access to it if so.