parse_ini_file

Parse a configuration file

&reftitle.description; ``array``false```parse_ini_file` `string` `filename` `bool` `process_sections`&false; `int` `scanner_mode` `INI_SCANNER_NORMAL`

`parse_ini_file` loads in the ini file specified in `filename`, and returns the settings in it in an associative array.

The structure of the ini file is the same as the &php.ini;'s.

&reftitle.parameters;

`filename`

- The filename of the ini file being parsed. If a relative path is used, it is evaluated relative to the current working directory, then the include_path.

`process_sections`

- By setting the `process_sections` parameter to &true;, you get a multidimensional array, with the section names and settings included. The default for `process_sections` is &false;

`scanner_mode`

- Can either be `INI_SCANNER_NORMAL` (default) or `INI_SCANNER_RAW`. If `INI_SCANNER_RAW` is supplied, then option values will not be parsed.

  &ini.scanner.typed;
&reftitle.returnvalues;

The settings are returned as an associative `array` on success, and &false; on failure.

&reftitle.examples;

### Contents of `sample.ini`

    ; This is a sample configuration file
    ; Comments start with ';', as in php.ini

    [first_section]
    one = 1
    five = 5
    animal = BIRD

    [second_section]
    path = "/usr/local/bin"
    URL = "http://www.example.com/~username"

    [third_section]
    phpversion[] = "5.0"
    phpversion[] = "5.1"
    phpversion[] = "5.2"
    phpversion[] = "5.3"

    urls[svn] = "http://svn.php.net"
    urls[git] = "http://git.php.net"

### `parse_ini_file` example

Constants (but not "magic constants" like `__FILE__`) may also be parsed in the ini file so if you define a constant as an ini value before running `parse_ini_file`, it will be integrated into the results. Only ini values are evaluated, and the value must be just the constant. For example:

    <?php

    define('BIRD', 'Dodo bird');

    // Parse without sections
    $ini_array = parse_ini_file("sample.ini");
    print_r($ini_array);

    // Parse with sections
    $ini_array = parse_ini_file("sample.ini", true);
    print_r($ini_array);

    ?>

&example.outputs.similar;

    Array
    (
        [one] => 1
        [five] => 5
        [animal] => Dodo bird
        [path] => /usr/local/bin
        [URL] => http://www.example.com/~username
        [phpversion] => Array
            (
                [0] => 5.0
                [1] => 5.1
                [2] => 5.2
                [3] => 5.3
            )

        [urls] => Array
            (
                [svn] => http://svn.php.net
                [git] => http://git.php.net
            )

    )
    Array
    (
        [first_section] => Array
            (
                [one] => 1
                [five] => 5
                [animal] => Dodo bird
            )

        [second_section] => Array
            (
                [path] => /usr/local/bin
                [URL] => http://www.example.com/~username
            )

        [third_section] => Array
            (
                [phpversion] => Array
                    (
                        [0] => 5.0
                        [1] => 5.1
                        [2] => 5.2
                        [3] => 5.3
                    )

                [urls] => Array
                    (
                        [svn] => http://svn.php.net
                        [git] => http://git.php.net
                    )

            )

    )

### `parse_ini_file` parsing a php.ini file

    <?php
    // A simple function used for comparing the results below
    function yesno($expression)
    {
        return($expression ? 'Yes' : 'No');
    }

    // Get the path to php.ini using the php_ini_loaded_file() function
    $ini_path = php_ini_loaded_file();

    // Parse php.ini
    $ini = parse_ini_file($ini_path);

    // Print and compare the values, note that using get_cfg_var()
    // will give the same results for parsed and loaded here
    echo '(parsed) magic_quotes_gpc = ' . yesno($ini['magic_quotes_gpc']) . PHP_EOL;
    echo '(loaded) magic_quotes_gpc = ' . yesno(get_cfg_var('magic_quotes_gpc')) . PHP_EOL;
    ?>

&example.outputs.similar;

    (parsed) magic_quotes_gpc = Yes
    (loaded) magic_quotes_gpc = Yes

### Value Interpolation

In addition to evaluating constants, certain characters have special meaning in an ini value. Additionally, environment variables and previously defined configuration options (see `get_cfg_var`) may be read using `${}` syntax.

    ; | is used for bitwise OR
    three = 2|3

    ; & is used for bitwise AND
    four = 6&5

    ; ^ is used for bitwise XOR
    five = 3^6

    ; ~ is used for bitwise negate
    negative_two = ~1

    ; () is used for grouping
    seven = (8|7)&(6|5)

    ; Interpolate the PATH environment variable
    path = ${PATH}

    ; Interpolate the configuration option 'memory_limit'
    configured_memory_limit = ${memory_limit}

### Escaping Characters

Some characters have special meaning in double-quoted strings and must be escaped by the backslash prefix. First of all, these are the double quote `"` as the boundary marker, and the backslash `\` itself (if followed by one of the special characters):

    quoted = "She said \"Exactly my point\"." ; Results in a string with quote marks in it.
    hint = "Use \\\" to escape double quote" ; Results in: Use \" to escape double quote

There is an exception made for Windows-like paths: it's possible to not escape trailing backslash if the quoted string is directly followed by a linebreak:

    save_path = "C:\Temp\"

If one does need to escape double quote followed by linebreak in a multiline value, it's possible to use value concatenation in the following way (there is one double-quoted string directly followed by another one):

    long_text = "Lorem \"ipsum\"""
     dolor" ; Results in: Lorem "ipsum"\n dolor

Another character with special meaning is `$` (the dollar sign). It must be escaped if followed by the open curly brace:

    code = "\${test}"

Escaping characters is not supported in the `INI_SCANNER_RAW` mode (in this mode all characters are processed "as is").

Note that the ini parser doesn't support standard escape sequences (`\n`, `\t`, etc.). If necessary, post-process the result of `parse_ini_file` with `stripcslashes` function.

&reftitle.notes;

This function has nothing to do with the &php.ini; file. It is already processed by the time you run your script. This function can be used to read in your own application's configuration files.

If a value in the ini file contains any non-alphanumeric characters it needs to be enclosed in double-quotes (").

There are reserved words which must not be used as keys for ini files. These include: `null`, `yes`, `no`, `true`, `false`, `on`, `off`, `none`. Values `null`, `off`, `no` and `false` result in `""`, and values `on`, `yes` and `true` result in `"1"`, unless `INI_SCANNER_TYPED` mode is used. Characters `?{}|&~!()^"` must not be used anywhere in the key and have a special meaning in the value.

Entries without an equal sign are ignored. For example, "foo" is ignored whereas "bar =" is parsed and added with an empty value. For example, MySQL has a "no-auto-rehash" setting in `my.cnf` that does not take a value, so it is ignored.

ini files are generally treated as plain text by web servers and thus served to browsers if requested. That means for security you must either keep your ini files outside of your docroot or reconfigure your web server to not serve them. Failure to do either of those may introduce a security risk.

&reftitle.seealso;

- `parse_ini_string`