Question

this is more a conceptual question. Consider you have a php framework that runs a generic website.

You can of course tweak the framework behavior with settings, the question is: where is more natural to place these settings?

My framework consists of some functions that helps me doing some tasks (for example cache managment).

In this fw I use a generic variable

$config = array( 'setting1'=>'value1' etc );

And if a function needs it does a global:

function manageCache() {
    global $config;

    //> perform task with settings from $config
}

Consider the procedural nature of my framework, and the fact someone says global is evil, how would you manage the settings?

Thanks

Edit1: Please don’t tell to use constats, i have tons of settings and i don’t want to make a tons of constant + they must be editable

Answer 1

There’s nothing wrong with your configuration array. It’s quite a common approach. The fallacy globals are evil is cargo cult programming advise. Please ignore.

Now the $config array is often easy to use by itself. But you can expand on that. It’s quite simple for example to turn it into an ArrayObject once initialized:

$config = new ArrayObject($config, 2);

This will allow you to access the settings as $config["setting"] and $config->setting alike. It’s easier on the eyes.

If you also want to avoid having to import the array everywhere, because you sometimes need just a single value, then expand with a wrapper function config("setting") for convenience.

Btw, I’m usually using a mix of config array and constants myself. And I made a little management tool for plugins and a settings array in a central config.php. http://web135.srv3.sysproserver.de/milki.erphesfurt.de./genericplugins/genconfig.html