How do we override php included files

Hi,
I have a child-theme setup and up to now overrides have worked ok. Today i tried to override a php file which i believe is being 'included' dynamically via another php file. I copied the structure i.e. directory named 'inc' containing the php file in question, all residing on the root of the theme folder. Strangely the override file is being ignored. When i put the changes in the parent version of the included file the modifications run as expected.

How do we properly override php files in this way?? are they included ‘late’? so is there some way we can control the include order? similar to JavaScript files like dequeue/enqueue functionality.

• This topic was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Jan Dembowski. Reason: Moved to Fixing WordPress, this is not an Everything else WordPress topic