Application variablesa

Is there something similar in PHP as the ASP's Application variables?

I am wanting to register some variable as to be read from any php file I
use. Session variables offer something similar, but I neet the variables to
be accessible to any user at any time. In ASP you would lock and unlock the
application so you don't get in trouble with the critical section.

Is there anything similar in PHP? I'm using a database at the moment, but I
would really like a better solution.

Regards... Martin Schmiedel