Posted by Ian B on 12/15/05 14:12

Curtis wrote:
> Any suggestions for a recursive algorithm that reads text
> file A line by line until it encounters a line directing to
> it read in a similar manner file B which might have command
> lines for reading files C and D, and so forth.
>
> It might look like so:
>
> A
> A
> A
> A
> A
> READ B
> B
> B
> READ C
> C
> C
> B
> B
> A
> A etc.
>
> The objective is to have one large array or string of text
> with the referenced files as includes. I think I can manage
> the recursive file opens, though I haven't tested code yet.
> Questions:
>
> Any limit to number of files? (Is file() the best function
> for this?)
>
> Best way to prevent circular references? (Place each
> filename in an array with its calling file as a key and...?)
>
> Guidance appreciated.
>
> --
>
> Curtis
>
> Visit We the Thinking
> www.wethethinking.com
> An online magazine/forum
> devoted to philosophical
> thought.

Top of the head...

pass an array (or make it global) and set an element with a name set to
the MD5 hash of the file name, then a simple isset() will tell you if
it has been used previously. Unset it on your way out of the recursive
call.

Ian

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