PHP arrary config file

Question

As you can probably tell i am novice to this and trying to make life a little easier for my self by creating a config file with all the settings of my site.

i am doing this as i am learning and trying to push my knowledge that little bit harder and repeating the same code over and over again

i have created a file named settings.php and the code i have at current is this

<?php

return array(
    'host' => 'localhost',
    'username' => 'me',
    'password' => 'password',
    'db_name' => 'mydb'
);

?>

and in my page i have put the following code

<?php
//set connection variables
$host = include('settings.php');
$username = include('settings.php');
$password = include('settings.php');
$db_name = include('settings.php');

//connect to mysql server
$mysqli = new mysqli($host, $username, $password, $db_name);

//check if any connection error was encountered
if(mysqli_connect_errno()) {
    echo "Error: Could not connect to database.";
    exit;
}
?>

I got this code from another question that can be found here

This seams not to work but i cant be sure as it doesn't give a error.

Before i continue with this i am wanting to add other settings which will be stored in the database is this the best way for me to do this?

Answer 1

Here is how you would use your code ...

<?php
//set connection variables
$config = include('settings.php');

//connect to mysql server
$mysqli = new mysqli($config['host'], $config['username'], $config['password'], $config['db_name']);

//check if any connection error was encountered
if(mysqli_connect_errno()) {
    echo "Error: Could not connect to database.";
    exit;
}
?>

Answer 2

It doesn't give an error because that is all valid code, however it isn't doing what you think. Typically you include a script once at the top of a page and then any variables defined within that script are available in the page doing the including.

includeMe.php

<?php
$settings = array(
    'host' => 'localhost',
    'username' => 'me',
    'password' => 'password',
    'db_name' => 'mydb'
);

pageThatNeedsSettings.php

<?php
include("includeMe.php");
//now the settings variable is available to be used
echo $settings['host']; //outputs: localhost

Answer 3

Several ways to do it using your methodology, but here is one:

$settings = include('settings.php');
$username = $settings['username'];
//etc..

However, just forgo the return business and do this:

$settings = array(
    'host' => 'localhost',
    'username' => 'me',
    'password' => 'password',
    'db_name' => 'mydb'
);

Use $settings from the include:

include('settings.php');
$username = $settings['username'];
//etc..

Or I would just use $settings['username'] where needed instead of assigning it to $username .

$mysqli = new mysqli($settings['host'], $settings['username'], $settings['password'], $settings['db_name']);