How can the functionality of including external PHP files be tested and troubleshooted within a PHP script to ensure proper execution?

When including external PHP files in a script, it is important to test and troubleshoot to ensure proper execution. One way to do this is by using the `include` or `require` functions to include the external file and then checking for any errors or unexpected behavior. Additionally, using functions like `file_exists` can help verify the existence of the external file before including it.

// Check if the external PHP file exists before including it
$external_file = 'external_file.php';

if (file_exists($external_file)) {
    include $external_file;
} else {
    echo 'External file does not exist.';
}