def include_file(self, path, include_dirs = []):
        if self.include_includes:
            if self.debug: print("------------------                   Including a file: %s"%path)
            inc_dirs = include_dirs if include_dirs else self.include_dirs
            parser = LEMSFileParser(self, inc_dirs, self.include_includes)
            if os.access(path, os.F_OK):
                if not path in self.included_files:
                    parser.parse(open(path).read()) 
                    self.included_files.append(path)
                    return
                else:
                    if self.debug: print("Already included: %s"%path)
                    return
            else:
                for inc_dir in inc_dirs:
                    new_path = (inc_dir + '/' + path)
                    if os.access(new_path, os.F_OK):
                        if not new_path in self.included_files:
                            parser.parse(open(new_path).read())
                            self.included_files.append(new_path)
                            return
                        else:
                            if self.debug: print("Already included: %s"%path)
                            return
            msg = 'Unable to open ' + path
            if self.fail_on_missing_includes:
                raise Exception(msg)
            elif self.debug: 
                print(msg)