fopen to write a config file using a form

jonathen

Hi all,

This is the first time I have attempted to write a config file for a script, via an "install" form.

My config file is simple enough, comments and variables - nothing more.

My install page is a basic form, with which I require the entered fields to overwrite the variable settings in config.php

So far, in install.php I have an html form, and then the following code, which I think is write (no errors) but I know is incomplete:

$config_content="configs go here, not sure what syntax";
if ($submit) {
$file = fopen("config.php", "w+b");  

if ($file == false) 
{ 
die ('<br>Error opening the config file!'); 
} 
$write = fwrite($file,$config_content);       

echo "<strong>Installation complete!<br>"; 
}

How do I get the values from the form fields above this array to pass through the array and then write to the config file, in the correct places (so that the config file can be edited by hand as well, if required)? My config file looks like this:

//comments here
$this = "that";

//comments here
$x = "something";

...and so on.

Any ideas?

cgraz

Ok, if I understood correctly, you want to replace certain parts of the config file, right?

Well $file returns an array. So what I would do is use $file to pull an array, then use PHP's array functions to search the array and replace the correct parts. Just an idea, but I really don't suggest modifying a config file this way. Writing to a config file means you've set full write permissions. That's a dangerous thing to do. . .

Just a note: this

$file = fopen("config.php", "w+b");  

if ($file == false) 
{ 
die ('<br>Error opening the config file!'); 
}

Could also be written as

if(!$file = fopen("config.php", "w+b") {
   echo "<br>"Error opening the config file!");
   exit;
}

But there's more than one way to skin a cat. 😉

Cgraz

BTW, I like your site. Is that layout the new mac os interface? The 3 circles (red yellow and green) look really familiar.

jonathen

I know about the potential security risks with permissions; hence why I am also using a bash script (and a .bat for windows) that will reset the permissions after config (adaptation of the Gallery secure scripts)

As for my site - yeah that is the Mac OSX interface style - although I don't use a Mac, I do like the new interface 🙂

I'll have a look at the array functions and see if I can use them to complete my installation script - thanks 🙂

xblue

if cgraz was right and you want to replace something in the file and not appending to it, you should use fopen with 'w' and not 'w+'.

the 'b' shouldn't be needed for a plain text file (the manual says "You are encouraged to include the 'b' flag ...", but I understand this is with respect to binary files).