Coding standards
Security in ResourceSpace
Developer reference
Database
Action functions
Admin functions
Ajax functions
Annotation functions
API functions
Collections functions
Comment functions
Config functions
CSV export functions
Dash functions
Debug functions
Encryption functions
Facial recognition functions
File functions
General functions
Language functions
Log functions
Login functions
Message functions
Migration functions
Node functions
PDF functions
Plugin functions
Render functions
Reporting functions
Request functions
Research functions
Slideshow functions
Theme permission functions
User functions
Video functions
Database functions
Metadata functions
Resource functions
Search functions
Map functions
Job functions
Tab functions
Test functions

get_config_option()

Description

Get config option value from the database. This may be a system wide config, a user group preference, a user preference, or the result of
overriding a user group preference with a user preference if any are present.

array() - Supply an empty array to return a system config value.
array('usergroup' => 2) - Supply 'usergroup' with the integer user group reference to return a user group config value.
array('user' => 1) - Supply 'user' with the integer user reference to return a user config value.
array('user' => 1, 'usergroup' => 2) - Supply 'user' with the integer user reference and 'usergroup' with the integer
user group reference to return the result of user group config overridden with user preference. Usergroup should always be
that of the supplied user. Don't supply parent group as this will be checked.
IMPORTANT: it falls back (defaults) to the globally scoped config option value if
there's nothing in the database.
global setting e.g. for checking admin resource preferences

Parameters

ColumnTypeDefaultDescription
$config_type array The type of config to retrieve supplied as an array. The following combinations are possible:
$name string Parameter name
&$returned_value
$default mixed null Optionally used to set a default that may not be the current
$returned_value string The config value will be returned through this parameter which is passed by reference.

Return

boolean Indicates if the config option was found in the database or not.

Location

include/config_functions.php lines 326 to 379

Definition

 
function get_config_option(array $config_type, $name, &$returned_value, $default = null)
{
    if (trim($name) === '') {
        return false;
    }

    foreach ($config_type as $type_value) {
        if (!is_int_loose($type_value)) {
            return false;
        }
    }

    $params[] = "s";
    $params[] = $name;

    if (count($config_type) === 0) {
        # Return system config.
        $user_query = 'user IS NULL AND usergroup IS NULL';
    } elseif (isset($config_type['usergroup']) && !isset($config_type['user'])) {
        # Return user group preference if present (without considering current user).
        # Also don't consider parent user group.
        $user_query = 'usergroup = ? AND user IS NULL';
        $params[] = 'i';
        $params[] = $config_type['usergroup'];
    } elseif (isset($config_type['user']) && !isset($config_type['usergroup'])) {
        # Special case when we want to check only user preference, not considering any user group values.
        $user_query = 'user = ?';
        $params[] = 'i';
        $params[] = $config_type['user'];
    } else {
        # Return user preference if present else user group preference if present.
        $config_type['usergroup'] = get_usergroup_parent_for_inherit_flag($config_type['usergroup'], 'preferences');
        $user_query = '(user = ? OR usergroup = ?) ORDER BY usergroup LIMIT 1';
        $params[] = 'i';
        $params[] = $config_type['user'];
        $params[] = 'i';
        $params[] = $config_type['usergroup'];
    }

    $query = "SELECT `value` FROM user_preferences WHERE parameter = ? AND " . $user_query;
    $config_option = ps_value($query, $params, null, "preferences");

    if (is_null($default) && isset($GLOBALS[$name])) {
        $default = $GLOBALS[$name];
    }

    if (is_null($config_option)) {
        $returned_value = $default;
        return false;
    }

    $returned_value = unescape($config_option);
    return true;
}

This article was last updated 4th November 2025 09:05 Europe/London time based on the source file dated 3rd October 2025 10:05 Europe/London time.