php-doc-en/reference/filesystem/functions/parse-ini-file.xml

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  <refentry id="function.parse-ini-file">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>parse_ini_file</refname>
    <refpurpose>Parse a configuration file</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
     <methodsynopsis>
      <type>array</type><methodname>parse_ini_file</methodname>
      <methodparam><type>string</type><parameter>filename</parameter></methodparam>
      <methodparam choice="opt"><type>bool</type><parameter>process_sections</parameter></methodparam>
     </methodsynopsis>
    <para>
     <function>parse_ini_file</function> loads in the
     ini file specified in <parameter>filename</parameter>,
     and returns the settings in it in an associative array.
     By setting the last <parameter>process_sections</parameter>
     parameter to &true;, you get a multidimensional array, with
     the section names and settings included. The default
     for <parameter>process_sections</parameter> is &false;
    </para>
    <note>
     <para>
      This function has nothing to do with the
      &php.ini; file. It is already processed,
      the time you run your script. This function can be used to
      read in your own application's configuration files.
     </para>
    </note>
    <note>
     <para>
      If a value in the ini file contains any non-alphanumeric
      characters it needs to be enclosed in double-quotes (").
     </para>
    </note>
    <note>
     <simpara>
      Since PHP 4.2.1 this function is also affected by &safemode;
      and <link linkend="ini.open-basedir">open_basedir</link>.
     </simpara>
    </note>
    <note>
     <para>
      As of PHP 5.0 this function also handles new lines in values.
     </para>
    </note>
    <note>
     <simpara>
      There are reserved words which must not be used as keys for
      ini files.  These include: null, yes, no, true, and false.
     </simpara>
    </note>
    <para>
     The structure of the ini file is similar to that of
     the &php.ini;'s.
    </para>
    <para>
     <link linkend="language.constants">Constants</link> may also be parsed
     in the ini file so if you define a constant as an ini value before
     running <function>parse_ini_file</function>, it will be integrated into
     the results.  Only ini values are evaluated.  For example:  
    </para>
    <para>
     <example>
      <title>Contents of <filename>sample.ini</filename></title>
      <programlisting>
<![CDATA[
; 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"
]]>
      </programlisting>
     </example>
    </para>
    <para>
     <example>
      <title><function>parse_ini_file</function> example</title>
      <programlisting role="php">
<![CDATA[
<?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);

?>
]]>
      </programlisting>
      <para>
       Would produce:
      </para>
      <screen>
<![CDATA[
Array
(
    [one] => 1
    [five] => 5
    [animal] => Dodo bird
    [path] => /usr/local/bin
    [URL] => http://www.example.com/~username
)
Array
(
    [first_section] => Array
        (
            [one] => 1
            [five] => 5
            [animal] = Dodo bird
        )

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

)
]]>
      </screen>
     </example>
    </para>
    <para>
     Keys and section names consisting from numbers are evaluated as PHP
     <link linkend="language.types.integer">integers</link> thus numbers
     starting by 0 are evaluated as octals and numbers starting by 0x are
     evaluated as hexadecimals.
    </para>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

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