# Docs: php.ini vs. parse_ini_file() - Thread: https://externals.io/message/61384 - Original archive: https://news-web.php.net/php.internals/61384 - Started by Kris Craig on 2012-07-18T00:19:55+00:00 - Messages: 7 - Reply by email to internals@lists.php.net - More for agents: search with https://externals.io/search.md?q={query} · JSON API at https://externals.io/api · documentation at https://externals.io/llms.txt --- ## #61384 — Kris Craig — 2012-07-18T00:19:55+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/61384#61384 I just noticed something that I hadn't really thought about before. I couldn't remember the name of the function for parsing INI files so I did a quick search. It took me straight to the page for php.ini directives. I had to select "online documentation" from the dropdown and try again, this time navigating down to the third result. Not overly cumbersome, of course, but I started thinking that maybe this could be more difficult for someone who might be newer to PHP. I also tried a Google search for 'php ini' (no quotes) to see what I'd get, and the first 15 results (all of the first page and the top half of the second) were for php.ini stuff. The 16th result was finally the `parse_ini_file()` function. A lot of newbies in particular use Google as their first stop when trying to find PHP functions for doing stuff, so this could give some people the impression that PHP doesn't even have an INI parsing function. Of course, most of this we really have no control over, but I would like to propose adding a link to `parse_ini_file()` on the php.ini man pages (perhaps something along the lines of, "Are you looking for....?"). I can make the edits myself but I'd like to see what y'all think first. --Kris --- ## #61398 — Andrew Faulds — 2012-07-18T14:27:12+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/61384#61398 · In reply to: #61384 Sounds good, search engines aren't always super smart. > I just noticed something that I hadn't really thought about before. I > couldn't remember the name of the function for parsing INI files so I did a > quick search. It took me straight to the page for php.ini directives. I > had to select "online documentation" from the dropdown and try again, this > time navigating down to the third result. > > Not overly cumbersome, of course, but I started thinking that maybe this > could be more difficult for someone who might be newer to PHP. I also > tried a Google search for 'php ini' (no quotes) to see what I'd get, and > the first 15 results (all of the first page and the top half of the second) > were for php.ini stuff. The 16th result was finally the `parse_ini_file()` > function. A lot of newbies in particular use Google as their first stop > when trying to find PHP functions for doing stuff, so this could give some > people the impression that PHP doesn't even have an INI parsing function. > > > Of course, most of this we really have no control over, but I would like to > propose adding a link to `parse_ini_file()` on the php.ini man pages (perhaps > something along the lines of, "Are you looking for....?"). I can make the > edits myself but I'd like to see what y'all think first. > > --Kris --- ## #61412 — Hannes Magnusson — 2012-07-18T16:45:02+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/61384#61412 · In reply to: #61384 > I just noticed something that I hadn't really thought about before. I > couldn't remember the name of the function for parsing INI files so I did a > quick search. It took me straight to the page for php.ini directives. I > had to select "online documentation" from the dropdown and try again, this > time navigating down to the third result. > > Not overly cumbersome, of course, but I started thinking that maybe this > could be more difficult for someone who might be newer to PHP. I also > tried a Google search for 'php ini' (no quotes) to see what I'd get, and > the first 15 results (all of the first page and the top half of the second) > were for php.ini stuff. The 16th result was finally the `parse_ini_file()` > function. A lot of newbies in particular use Google as their first stop > when trying to find PHP functions for doing stuff, so this could give some > people the impression that PHP doesn't even have an INI parsing function. > > > Of course, most of this we really have no control over, but I would like to > propose adding a link to `parse_ini_file()` on the php.ini man pages (perhaps > something along the lines of, "Are you looking for....?"). I can make the > edits myself but I'd like to see what y'all think first. > I don't understand why on earth your are mailing the PHP *internal developer mailinglist* with this matter? If you have any improvement suggestions for the documentations: https://edit.php.net -Hannes --- ## #61413 — Hannes Magnusson — 2012-07-18T16:45:03+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/61384#61413 · In reply to: #61384 > I just noticed something that I hadn't really thought about before. I > couldn't remember the name of the function for parsing INI files so I did a > quick search. It took me straight to the page for php.ini directives. I > had to select "online documentation" from the dropdown and try again, this > time navigating down to the third result. > > Not overly cumbersome, of course, but I started thinking that maybe this > could be more difficult for someone who might be newer to PHP. I also > tried a Google search for 'php ini' (no quotes) to see what I'd get, and > the first 15 results (all of the first page and the top half of the second) > were for php.ini stuff. The 16th result was finally the `parse_ini_file()` > function. A lot of newbies in particular use Google as their first stop > when trying to find PHP functions for doing stuff, so this could give some > people the impression that PHP doesn't even have an INI parsing function. > > > Of course, most of this we really have no control over, but I would like to > propose adding a link to `parse_ini_file()` on the php.ini man pages (perhaps > something along the lines of, "Are you looking for....?"). I can make the > edits myself but I'd like to see what y'all think first. > I don't understand why on earth your are mailing the PHP *internal developer mailinglist* with this matter? If you have any improvement suggestions for the documentations: https://edit.php.net -Hannes --- ## #61424 — Kris Craig — 2012-07-18T18:26:25+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/61384#61424 · In reply to: #61413 > > > I don't understand why on earth your are mailing the PHP *internal > developer mailinglist* with this matter? > > If you have any improvement suggestions for the documentations: > https://edit.php.net > > -Hannes > I've seen the docs discussed on this list plenty of times. We do maintain those as well as the code, after all. Unless you're proposing changing the name of this list to *internal *code* developer mailinglist*, then I really don't think there's reason to get butthurt over it. --Kris --- ## #61425 — Hannes Magnusson — 2012-07-18T18:32:14+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/61384#61425 · In reply to: #61424 > > […] > > > I've seen the docs discussed on this list plenty of times. We do maintain > those as well as the code, after all. Unless you're proposing changing the > name of this list to *internal code developer mailinglist*, then I really > don't think there's reason to get butthurt over it. I cannot say I have seen a single patch from you to the documentations. And every subproject of PHP.net has its own list, in this case phpdoc@lists.php.net And yes. That is _exactly_ what this list is for; the internal code. This list gets crapload of weird spam, and there are very few people from phpdoc@ that have the time to read all threads here to spot doc discussions. Use the correct list. -Hannes --- ## #61429 — Kris Craig — 2012-07-18T19:21:11+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/61384#61429 · In reply to: #61425 On Wed, Jul 18, 2012 at 11:32 AM, Hannes Magnusson < hannes.magnusson@gmail.com> wrote: > > > […] > maintain > > […] > the > > […] > > I cannot say I have seen a single patch from you to the documentations. > And every subproject of PHP.net has its own list, in this case > phpdoc@lists.php.net > > And yes. That is _exactly_ what this list is for; the internal code. > > This list gets crapload of weird spam, and there are very few people > from phpdoc@ that have the time to read all threads here to spot doc > discussions. > > Use the correct list. > > -Hannes > ....And how much spam was added by your whining about my spam, hmm? If you were so concerned about keeping traffic down, one would think you'd have sent a private email instead of complaining to the entire list. And yes, I have contributed to the man pages in the past. Not as frequently as I'd like, but this is part of my effort to improve on that record. Your hostility is hardly constructive in that regard. There are topics that can be appropriate for multiple lists. This is one of them. As I said, there is precedent for people discussing the website on this list and, unless I'm mistaken, there's no documented policy actually excluding internal development of the website from this list. But anyway, I've been criticized for letting myself get dragged into public pissing matches on this list before, so I'll bite my tongue and terminate the conversation here if there's nothing new to add. You've expressed your opinion and I've expressed mine; if you'd like to bicker with me some more, please send me a private email so everybody else doesn't have to read it. --Kris