persist a variable set in header.php all the way down to footer.php

Question

I look up a custom post field value in header.php, and store it in a global variable.

In most of my template files, the includes go like this:

include header

...do a bunch of stuff

include sidebar
include footer

I can not persist the variable into the footer.php file...

is there any way to do this so that I can avoid having to call back to the database again to look up the custom field value again?

Answer 1

You'd have to declare it first above those includes and globalize it within header or footer before getting or setting the value.

however- in the specific context you're speaking of- getting a custom field value, it's only retrieved from the database on the first call, then cached, so subsequent calls won't hit the database again.

Answer 2

You can...

Create a function in functions.php file that asks for the custom field and then outputs it... then you need not include it in the header but can just use it wherever you want...

I assume you know how to retrieve the custom field value, but in any case here is an example from the wordpress codex:

echo get_post_meta( $post->ID, 'mykey', true );

I hope its a good solution if I understand you correct.

Cheers, Sagive.