variable problems in functions (SOLVED)

Hello
I'm building a news script and I got problem:
I have code similar to this:

index.php

blablabla
<?php
require('includes/settings.php');
news();
blablablabla
?>

in settings.php I put some variables and include 2 files...
and variables aren't set inside the function, for example, i have in news() such piece of code:

echo $base;


it won't output what it should do and when I check it with isset(), it says, that var isn't set, but when I put echo $base outside the function, it works with no problem.
help! :(

you have to pass variables to the function or make them global

could you explain how?

Each function has it's own "scope" for variables, so if they aren't global or superglobal, they have to be passed in the function call:


function news($var)
{
echo $var;
}

news($base);

I used "var" as an example to avoid confusion, you could use "base". More info: Manual (http://php.net/variables.scope)

Global can be completely avoided and IMO shouldn't be used; parameter passing is really the best control you can use.
Course, the old HTTP_*_VARS did require globalization, but unless you are supporting an obsolescent version of PHP, I wouldn't worry too much about the long arrays.

Thanks everyone, I did it :)