Any reason why you don't just create a custom module with a menu hook that executes a print of the data that you need? This is the way I code most of my web service code. Something like; function custom_module_menu() { $items['custom_module'] = array( 'access arguments' => 'access content' // replace this with appropriate drupal security. 'page callback' => 'custom_module_ajax_callback', 'type' => MENU_CALLBACK, ); return $items; } function custom_module_ajax_callback() { //execute normal drupal statements here print 'replace this with whatever you want the ajax callback to return'; } You'd also need a .info file, but that would get you started. ________________________________ From: support-bounces@drupal.org [mailto:support-bounces@drupal.org] On Behalf Of Gerald Klein Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2012 8:18 PM To: support@drupal.org Subject: Re: [support] Database connection I tried this and also included the define statement for the variable that require_once is using and it errors out including bootstrap.inc. It needs something else. thanks for your post, anyone else? define('DRUPAL_ROOT', getcwd()); require_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/includes/bootstrap.inc'; drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL); On Sat, Mar 24, 2012 at 10:12 PM, Vaibhav Jain <in.vaibhavjain@gmail.com> wrote: Just paste these 2 lines in you external file require_once './includes/bootstrap.inc'; drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL); these are also included in index.php. These are for D6 On Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 8:28 AM, Gerald Klein <jk@zognet.com> wrote: Hi I need to pull a dataset in an ajax file. What drupal includes to I need to use the drupal db connection. thanks any help is appreciated --jerry -- Gerald Klein DBA www.geraldklein.com <http://geraldklein.com/> jk@zognet.com <mailto:jk@zognet.com> 708-599-0352 Linux registered user #548580 -- [ Drupal support list | http://lists.drupal.org/ ] -- Regards, Vaibhav Jain -- [ Drupal support list | http://lists.drupal.org/ ] -- Gerald Klein DBA www.geraldklein.com <http://geraldklein.com/> jk@zognet.com <mailto:jk@zognet.com> 708-599-0352 Linux registered user #548580