Proposed Symphony CMS config XML

config.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<config:core xmlns:config="http://symphony-cms.com/schemas/config/1.0">

	<!--
		Environment

		Specify the environment of your setup

		Environments can be any value, which will be passed through to
		a front-end parameter $environment
	-->
	<environment>production</environment>

	<!--
		General
		
		Config options that affect the admin and front-end equally
		(Grouped some old config options more meaningfully)
	-->
	<general>
		<sitename>Symphony CMS</sitename>
		<max-upload-size>5242880</max-upload-size>
	</general>

	<!--
		Symphony

		Admin specific config options
	-->
	<symphony>
		<pagination-maximum-rows>20</pagination-maximum-rows>
		<lang>en</lang>
		<pages-table-nest-children>no</pages-table-nest-children>
		<version>2.3</version>
		<cookie-prefix>sym-</cookie-prefix>
		<session-gc-divider>10</session-gc-divider>
	</symphony>

	<!--
		Public

		Front-end specific config options
	-->
	<public>
		<display-event-xml-in-source>no</display-event-xml-in-source>
	</public>

	<!--
		Log

		System log parameters
	-->
	<log>
		<archive>1</archive>
		<maxsize>102400</maxsize>
	</log>

	<!--
		Database

		Connection parameters for the database
	-->
	<database>
		<host>localhost</host>
		<port>3306</port>
		<user>root</user>
		<password>password</password>
		<db>symphony</db>
		<tbl-prefix>sym_</tbl-prefix>
	</database>

	<!--
		Write Mode

		Unix permissions to apply/expect on files and folders
		(Grouped old config options more meaningfully)
	-->
	<write-mode>
		<file>0644</file>
		<directory>0755</directory>
	</write-mode>

	<!--
		Region

		Specify the PHP Date and Time format
	-->
	<region>
		<time-format>H:i:s</time-format>
		<date-format>Y/m/d</date-format>
		<datetime-separator> </datetime-separator>
		<timezone>Europe/London</timezone>
	</region>

	<!--
		Image

		Image handling parameters
	-->
	<image>
		<settings env="default">
			<cache>1</cache>
			<quality>90</quality>
		</settings>
	</image>

	<!--
		Email

		Symphony email handling parameters
		(Grouped old config options more meaningfully)
	-->
	<email>
		<default-gateway>sendmail</default-gateway>
		<from-name>Symphony</from-name>
		<from-address>noreply@website.com</from-address>
		<!-- Should extensions that provide gateways write them here? -->
		<smtp>
			<host>127.0.0.1</host>
			<port>25</port>
			<secure>no</secure>
			<auth>0</auth>
			<username>admin</username>
			<password>admin</password>
		</smtp>
	</email>

</config:core>

configuration.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<configuration xmlns="http://symphony-cms.com/schemas/configuration/1.0">
	

	<!--
		Environment

		Specify the environment of your setup

		Environments can be any value, which will be passed through to
		a front-end parameter $environment
	-->
	<environment>production</environment>

	<!--
		General
		
		Config options that affect the admin and front-end equally
		(Grouped some old config options more meaningfully)
	-->
	<general>
		<sitename>Symphony CMS</sitename>
		<max-upload-size>5242880</max-upload-size>
	</general>

	<!--
		Symphony

		Admin specific config options
	-->
	<symphony>
		<pagination-maximum-rows>20</pagination-maximum-rows>
		<lang>en</lang>
		<pages-table-nest-children>no</pages-table-nest-children>
		<version>2.3</version>
		<cookie-prefix>sym-</cookie-prefix>
		<session-gc-divider>10</session-gc-divider>
	</symphony>

	<!--
		Public

		Front-end specific config options
	-->
	<public>
		<display-event-xml-in-source>no</display-event-xml-in-source>
	</public>

	<!--
		Log

		System log parameters
	-->
	<log>
		<archive>1</archive>
		<maxsize>102400</maxsize>
	</log>

	<!--
		Database

		Connection parameters for the database
		Example provided for two databases. Note that only some nodes devaite from the default @env
	-->
	<database>
		<host>localhost</host>
		<port>3306</port>
		<user>root</user>
		<password>password</password>
		<db>symphony</db>
		<tbl-prefix>sym_</tbl-prefix>
	</database>

	<!--
		Write Mode

		Unix permissions to apply/expect on files and folders
		(Grouped old config options more meaningfully)
	-->
	<write-mode>
		<file>0644</file>
		<directory>0755</directory>
	</write-mode>

	<!--
		Region

		Specify the PHP Date and Time format
	-->
	<region>
		<time-format>H:i:s</time-format>
		<date-format>Y/m/d</date-format>
		<datetime-separator> </datetime-separator>
		<timezone>Europe/London</timezone>
	</region>

	<!--
		Image

		Image handling parameters
	-->
	<image>
		<settings env="default">
			<cache>1</cache>
			<quality>90</quality>
		</settings>
	</image>

	<!--
		Email

		Symphony email handling parameters
		(Grouped old config options more meaningfully)
	-->
	<email>
		<default-gateway>sendmail</default-gateway>
		<from-name>Symphony</from-name>
		<from-address>noreply@website.com</from-address>
		<!-- Should extensions that provide gateways write them here? -->
		<smtp>
			<host>127.0.0.1</host>
			<port>25</port>
			<secure>no</secure>
			<auth>0</auth>
			<username>admin</username>
			<password>admin</password>
		</smtp>
	</email>

	<!--
		Extensions

		Configuration options for extensions are written here to maintain a tidy config file
		Extensions are identified by the @id that they are required to use in the meta xml file
		(This section could well be a separate file if decided)
	-->
	<extensions>

		<!-- Even Maintenance Mode is stored here -->
		<extension id="maintenance_mode">
			<settings env="default">
				<enabled>no</enabled>
			</settings>
		</extension>

		<extension id="sitemap">
			<settings env="default">
				<index-type>index</index-type>
				<primary-type>primary</primary-type>
				<utilities-type>global</utilities-type>
				<exclude-types>hidden, XML, 403, 404</exclude-types>
			</settings>
		</extension>

		<extension id="content_type_mappings">
			<settings env="default">
				<xml>text/xml; charset=utf-8</xml>
				<text>text/plain; charset=utf-8</text>
				<css>text/css; charset=utf-8</css>
				<json>application/json; charset=utf-8</json>
				<csv>'text/csv; charset=utf-8</csv>
			</settings>
		</extension>

		<extension id="client_logo">
			<settings env="default">
				<path>null</path>
			</settings>
		</extension>

	</extensions>

</configuration>

extensions.config.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<config:ext xmlns:config="http://symphony-cms.com/schemas/config/1.0">
	
	<!--
		Extensions

		Configuration options for extensions are written here to maintain a tidy config file
		Extensions are identified by the @id that they are required to use in the meta xml file
		(This section could well be a separate file if we want)
	-->

	<!-- Even Maintenance Mode is stored here -->
	<extension id="maintenance_mode">
		<enabled>no</enabled>
	</extension>

	<extension id="sitemap">
		<index-type>index</index-type>
		<primary-type>primary</primary-type>
		<utilities-type>global</utilities-type>
		<exclude-types>hidden, XML, 403, 404</exclude-types>
	</extension>

	<extension id="content_type_mappings">
		<xml>text/xml; charset=utf-8</xml>
		<text>text/plain; charset=utf-8</text>
		<css>text/css; charset=utf-8</css>
		<json>application/json; charset=utf-8</json>
		<csv>'text/csv; charset=utf-8</csv>
	</extension>

	<extension id="client_logo">
		<path>null</path>
	</extension>

</config:ext>

local.config.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<config:local xmlns:config="http://symphony-cms.com/schemas/config/1.0">

	<!--
		Environment

		Specify the environment of your setup locally

		Environments can be any value, which will be passed through to
		a front-end parameter $environment
	-->
	<environment>production</environment>

	<!--
		Database

		Connection parameters for the database
		Example provided for two databases. Note that only some nodes devaite from the default @env
	-->
	<database>
		<host>localhost</host>
		<port>3306</port>
		<user>root</user>
		<password>password</password>
		<db>symphony</db>
		<tbl-prefix>sym_</tbl-prefix>
	</database>

	<!--
		Email

		Symphony email handling parameters
		(Grouped old config options more meaningfully)
	-->
	<email>
		<default-gateway>sendmail</default-gateway>
		<from-name>Symphony</from-name>
		<from-address>noreply@website.com</from-address>
		<!-- Should extensions that provide gateways write them here? -->
		<smtp>
			<host>127.0.0.1</host>
			<port>25</port>
			<secure>no</secure>
			<auth>0</auth>
			<username>admin</username>
			<password>admin</password>
		</smtp>
	</email>

</config:local>

routes.config.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<config:routes xmlns="http://symphony-cms.com/schemas/config/1.0">

	<!--
		Routes

		Specify any URL rewriting routes here
		The URL Router extension is to be used as an interface for this file
	-->
	<route>
		<from></from>
		<to></to>
		<force>true</force>
	</route>

	<redirect>
		<from></from>
		<to></to>
		<http>301</http>
	</redirect>

</config:routes>

An interesting idea. Questions:

• are you suggesting always having one single file which contains details for all environments?
• where would the environment switch go, that says "use default or use live"?
• when saving values back to the config file, how should Symphony decide which block to persist to (e.g. I edit client_logo on live, does it create a <settings env="live">...` block?

Some of these are addressed in symphonycms/symphonycms#669 where we talk about a separate environment file per config, which allows the defaults to be overridden.

I'm writing up an explanation on the issue relating to config shizzle. A slightly different approach, but one that I think caters for all ideas expressed (in some way).

Thankyou. Answers:

• Yes. It is cleaner, easier to parse in one file, and easily readable to see the environment differences.
• There is no real switch. If you have something specified for live then you have provided a URL. The system will check that URL and load any config options it can match against. If you don't want to override the default options, don't specify any environment ones.
• My idea is to have all environments present on the prefs page, so whatever environment you're in, you could reasonably change any set.

The point is I'm trying to avoid a separate file per environment. I currently do that and it is turning into a nightmare to manage. Change one extensions config in one environment, and you have to remember to duplicate the change. Pain. In. The. Arse. In one file, all blocked together, t becomes really easy to do.