Should I use Civi::settings()->get and set or

Question

In this post on StackExchange How do I add a new settings page for my extension? the way to create settings in CiviCRM is stated as : Create a settings dir in your extension's base directory, and within that create a whateveryouwant.setting.php.

I always use Civi::settings()->set and Civi::settings()->get. What is the recommended way?

Answer 1

One option is to create settings using Setting Reference

How I would do through extension is

• Register metadata for setting using hook_civicrm_alterSettingsMetaData

• To set the setting using civicrm api code:

  civicrm_api3('Setting', 'create', [ 'setting_name_goes_here' => 123, ]);

• To get the setting using civicrm api

  civicrm_api3('Setting', 'getvalue', [ 'name' =>'setting_name_goes_here', ]);

• If you want to add this setting on one of the Admin config form then below is a good example on how you can do it.(New version of CiviCRM provides more flexibility to add settings to UI by appending settings in $form->_settings in preprocess hook)

  • https://github.com/JMAConsulting/biz.jmaconsulting.easybatch/blob/master/easybatch.php#L140

  • https://github.com/JMAConsulting/biz.jmaconsulting.easybatch/blob/master/easybatch.php#L116

  • https://github.com/JMAConsulting/biz.jmaconsulting.easybatch/blob/master/easybatch.php#L304

  • https://github.com/JMAConsulting/biz.jmaconsulting.easybatch/blob/master/templates/CRM/EasyBatch/Form/Admin.tpl

Answer 2

Instead of hook_civicrm_alterSettingsMetaData you can also create a myfile.setting.php file in your extension.

See also issue core#495 for recent work that allows you to add settings to the UI based SOLELY on metadata - very exciting!

Answer 3

Thanks @Jon G, that makes sense :-) So summarizing the recommended way is:

• Register metadata for setting using hook_civicrm_alterSettingsMetaData or create myfile.setting.php in my extension
• Use either Civi::settings()->set to set the value of the setting and Civi::settings()->get to retrieve the value OR the Setting API.