====== Limb configuration settings ======

===== Configuration settings =====

Limb uses 2 ways to store its configuration stuff:

  - via PHP constants
  - via *.ini files

==== PHP constants ====

In our opinion constants are the most natural and flexible way to declare some global configuration parameters. Usually Limb uses constants to define directories, DB settings and some important global settings(like enabling debug console, debug of templates etc). 

All constants must be defined in **PROJECT_DIR/setup.php** which in turn includes **LIMB_DIR/setup.php**. However you can "override" these settings in **setup.override.php** script which is included first(if it exists in the same directory) by all setup.php scripts(actually there's no real constants overriding, the trick is that it's included //before// other constants declaration).

It's much easier to show rather trying to explain, here's an example of some project setup.php:

<code php>
<?php

if (file_exists(dirname(__FILE__) . '/setup.override.php'))
  include_once(dirname(__FILE__) . '/setup.override.php');

@define('FOO', 'foo'); //please note @, we're supressing possible notice errors with it
[...other constants...]
?>
</code>

Now if include setup.php somewhere in the code FOO constant will be equal to 'foo'.

And here comes setup.override.php:
<code php>
<?php

define('FOO', 'bar');

?>
</code>

Now if include setup.php now the FOO constant will be equal to 'bar'.

This technique let's you "re-define" only neccessary settings without the need of editing setup.php. Furthermore it makes sense to ignore setup.override.php with CVS since these overriding settings are pretty unique.

By default setup.php contains pretty general settings and usually all you have to do is to override some DB stuff and directories. We provide nicely commented **setup.override.php-example** with every Limb based project, you can use it as a template for constants overriding.

==== *.ini files ====

Limb is also capable of using settings stored in *.ini files. These files should reside in **PROJECT_DIR/core/settings** or **LIMB_DIR/core/settings**. 

You shouldn't be editing *.ini files stored in LIMB_DIR/settings, instead you want to override them with equivalents in PROJECT_DIR/settings. [[limb2:en::file_path_resolving|This project component overriding technique]] is used for almost every Limb conception. 

Ini files are perfect for storing lots of configuration stuff since Limb provides convenient tools for accessing them. Ini files are compiled into PHP files, this way the parsing overhead is minimal. 

Here's an example of such a file:

  #ini supports comments like this one
  #ini values can be global 
  value = 1
  #... and ini values can be grouped 
  [FOO]
  value = 2    
  #you can have simple non-indexed arrays
  foo[] = 1
  foo[] = 2
  foo[] = 3
  #..and you can have indexed arrays
  foo[yo] = 1  
  foo[wo] = 2  
  #here comes another group of values
  [BAR]
  bar[] = 1  

Since 2.3.1+ you can also override certain ini files(remember setup.override.php?). Thus config.override.ini will be used instead of config.ini if it exists in the same folder. 

===== Tips&tricks =====

==== Force template compilation every time ====

Every project has config.ini file in PROJECT_DIR/core/settings directory.

By default it contains only one valuable parameter:
<code>
force_compile = 1
</code>

This parameter forces the WACT template engine to recompile the template every time it is requested, this is useful for development. For speed purposes on production environments you will definitely want it to be set to 0.

==== Console debug mode ====

If you'd like to have a peek into Limb execution internals you you'd definitely want to see Limb debug console which can be enabled with **DEBUG_CONSOLE_ENABLED** constant e.g:

<code php>
define('DEBUG_CONSOLE_ENABLED', true);
</code>

==== Template debug mode ====

If you need more information about template structure of you page you can use magic **DEBUG_TEMPLATE_ENABLED** constant. If this constant is set to TRUE template system will output the template name and a small link to edit this template (the whole template or just a part of it). Use **TEMPLATE_EDITOR_PATH** constant to set a path to your .html editor, e.g:

<code php>
define('DEBUG_TEMPLATE_ENABLED', true);
define('TEMPLATE_EDITOR_PATH', 'jedit.bat %s'); 
</code>

**Note:** Works only for IE!