  We study systematically the sensitivity of the photon structure function data
on the gluon contents of the photon, by using the leading order
Altarelli--Parisi (AP) equations.
  Charm quark contribution is studied in the quark parton model and by using
the massive quark AP equations of Gl\"uck, Hoffmann and Reya.
  The present photon structure function data are found to allow wide range of
gluon distributions in the photon.
  We give a set of six scale-dependent parton distributions in the photon
(WHIT1 to WHIT6), which have systematically different gluon contents.
  Sensitivity of the structure function at small $x$ and that of the total
charm quark production cross section to the effective gluon distribution are
discussed.
