/**
 * Embed a view using a PHP snippet.
 *
 * This function is meant to be called from PHP snippets, should one wish to
 * embed a view in a node or something. It's meant to provide the simplest
 * solution and doesn't really offer a lot of options, but breaking the function
 * apart is pretty easy, and this provides a worthwhile guide to doing so.
 *
 * @param $name
 *   The name of the view to embed.
 * @param $display_id
 *   The display id to embed. This will be 'embed_ID'.
 * @param ...
 *   Any additional parameters will be passed as arguments.
 */
function views_embed_view($name, $display_id = 'default') {

To figure out the id of a display, look under Other, in the
view edit page for the particular view that will be embedded, for Machine Name:
what ever this name is is what should be used for the $display_id variable.

Usage

Embedding a view

The best way to use embedded views is to create your own module and integrate
with which ever system you need to within Drupal, specifically
hook_preprocess_HOOK()

You can easily embed the results of a view into other parts of your site;
either, with code as a module, or in nodes or blocks as snippets. The
easiest way is to use the function views_embed_view():

print views_embed_view('test', 'embed_1');

This is the equivalent of views_embed_view without arguments.

$view = views_get_view('test');
$view->preview('embed_1');
$view->destroy();

Embedding a view with arguments

print views_embed_view('test', 'embed_1', arg1, arg2, ...);

This is the equivalent of views_embed_view with arguments.

$view = views_get_view('test');
$view->set_arguments(array(arg1, arg2, ...));
print $view->preview('embed_1');
$view->destroy();

Advanced examples

Embedding individual fields from a view

To retrieve a specific field from an embeded view is to use
$view->render_field($field, $row)

$view = views_get_view('test');
$view->set_display('embed_1');
$view->pre_execute();
$view->execute();

if (!empty($view->result)) {
  // Some fields may need to be pre_rendered before they are populated with
  // their values. Try without and if it does not work try with pre_render.
  //$view->field['field_example_field']->pre_render($view->result);
  foreach ($view->result as $row => $values) {
    $text = '';
    $text .= '<div class="name">' . $view->render_field('title', $row) . '</div>';
    $text .= '<div class="location">' . $view->render_field('field_example_field', $row) . '</div>';
  }
  return $text;
}
$view->destroy();

Using fields from nodes as arguments for views

$node = node_load($nid);

// Create an array of taxonomy terms from node.
$categories = array();
$categories = field_get_items('node', $node, 'field_categories');
$category_tids = array();
foreach ($categories as $category) {
  $category_tids[] = $category['tid'];
}

// Create arguments for view for "AND".
$arguments = implode(',', $category_tids);

$view = views_get_view('test');
$view->set_arguments(array($arguments));
print $view->preview('embed_1');
$view->destroy();