... If called from within a function, the return() statement immediately ends execution of the current function, and returns its argument as the value of the function call. return() will also end the execution of an eval() statement or script file. ... If the current script file was include() ed or require() ed, then control is passed back to the calling file. Furthermore, if the current script file was include() ed, then the value given to return() will be returned as the value of the include() call. ...