Pull out data from a server querry ?

[Sharg]

Hi,
I have a chat server. This server produce a number of users currently in the room ONLY if the variable %usernumber% is viewed from a page in its directory.

How could I use php from outside the server directory to display the same info on my index.php page ?

A simple chdir + include didn't make it: it displayed the text %usernumber% as a text instead as the true result of the variable...

PHP masters are welcome to make suggestions.
thanks
Benj

[Toliman]

I think that script is reading the contents of the subdirectory to determine the number of users? Can't you just give it the absolute path so it works?