When using `CFConfig` with <https cfconfig ortusbooks com us cfml #box-products

When using `CFConfig` with <ModCFML>, can the web ...

richard.herbert

02/08/2023, 3:33 PM

When using

CFConfig

with ModCFML, can the web context .cfconfig.json file just be the differences wanted between the server context and the particular web context or do that have to be a full overwrite of the config?

richard.herbert

02/08/2023, 3:42 PM

For example, the server context .cfconfig has all the general server config like regional > locale but the web context .cfconfig has the DSN’s and mappings etc or does the context .cfconfig have to have all the server config as well? My testing between servers is inconsistent.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:23 PM

@richard.herbert Are you asking a question about CFConfig, or just a question about how Lucee works

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:24 PM

Generally speaking, Lucee does not require any config that is set in the server context to be present in the web context as well unless you specifically need to override it for that web context to be different than the server context.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:24 PM

Which honestly is the only way that makes sense-- otherwise the web context would be pointless if it was required to duplicate all the config from the server context!

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:25 PM

DNSs and mappings are additive

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:25 PM

Meaning if there are 2 DNSs in the server level and 2 more in the web leve, you have 4 available

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:25 PM

Unless, of course, one of the web ones has the same name as the server one, in which case it overrides

richard.herbert

02/08/2023, 4:31 PM

Well yes, that has always been my understanding - the web context inherits from the server context. So if I have a web context .cfconfig file, any config in there, however little (say just DSNs and mappings) would be additive or overwrite based on name. Does the addition of ModCFML confuse matters, I assume not. In which case I need to look closer at why this server is not respecting the context specific cfconfig file. Maybe I’ve got my path to the context specific cfconfig file wrong?

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:32 PM

So if I have a web context .cfconfig file, any config in there, however little (say just DSNs and mappings) would be additive or overwrite based on name.

Again, it depends on whether you're asking a question about how CFConfig imports or how Lucee works.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:33 PM

There are two distinct phases here I want to make sure we differentitate • The CommandBox startup before Lucee is running where CFConfig writes to XML files on disk that Lucee will use later • The Lucee server at runtime that reads those XML files and then does things with them to create its settings in memory

richard.herbert

02/08/2023, 4:41 PM

it depends on whether you’re asking a question about how CFConfig imports or how Lucee works.

I guess my better question is, how does CFConfig control the Lucee configuration? From your two phases, CommandBox reads the cfconfig at startup and writes the XML that Lucee then reads in when it starts up. So on the first round, CommandBox then Lucee, Lucee will reflect the cfconfig settings. If I then stop Lucee, make a cfconfig file change and start Lucee back up again, I won’t see that change to the cfconfig in the running Lucee. Does that sound right?

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:42 PM

Well, now you're just asking more questions and I haven't even gotten enough information to answer the existing ones, lol

richard.herbert

02/08/2023, 4:42 PM

Sorry, I didn’t read your reply as a question 🙂

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:43 PM

how does CFConfig control the Lucee configuration?

It writes to XML files. CFConfig's import will be a complete override of "complex" things such as DNSs, mail servers, or caches unless you've used the

--append

flag in which case it isn't

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:44 PM

. If I then stop Lucee, make a cfconfig file change and start Lucee back up again, I won’t see that change to the cfconfig in the running Lucee. Does that sound right?

No, that sounds wrong. CFConfig's automatic settings import fires on the

onServerStart

interceptor in CommandBox so it re-imports every time the server starts. I would expect your changes in the JSON files to be represented in the server after starting it.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:45 PM

And that's just talking about the

.cfconfig.json

convention. You can manually import config any time you like with the

Copy code

cfconfig import ...

command. And, depending on your Lucee settings around watching config files for changes, those changes may or may not be immediately picked up by the running server.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:47 PM

So back to the append/overwrite bit. CFConfig does this • Reads the existing XML file into memory • ignores all config not explicitly defined in the JSON. So if there is no

datasources

key in your JSON, CFConfig won't touch the DSNs. • Overwrites (again, unless you've used the

--append

flag) all config which is present in the JSON. So if there IS a

datasources

key in the JSON, then that list of DSNs will be all that is left in the XML once CFConfig is done (all others are removed) • writes the XML file back out

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:48 PM

So if you had a JSON file with just a single setting

Copy code

{
  "adminpassword": "foo"
}

then the entire XML file would remain untouched except for the admin password

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:52 PM

Does the addition of ModCFML confuse matters, I assume not.

It depends on how easily confused you are 😉 CFConfig has a mechanism to preload any number of lucee web contexts with config, but it's not clear from your question if or how you are using those features. https://cfconfig.ortusbooks.com/using-the-cli/commandbox-server-interceptors/server-start#modcfml-support-for-lucee-contexts

In which case I need to look closer at why this server is not respecting the context specific cfconfig file. Maybe I’ve got my path to the context specific cfconfig file wrong?

Maybe, hard to say without seeing much more of your setup.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:57 PM

I would start by analyzing the console output of the server when starting. CFConfig goes through great lengths to tell you exactly what it's doing.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 4:58 PM

Do a

--dryRun

start and then confirm if the right config is in the right context from the CLI with the

cfconfig show ...

command

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 5:02 PM

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cfconfig show fromFormat=luceeweb-/path/to/site1/
cfconfig show fromFormat=luceeweb-/path/to/site2/

richard.herbert

02/08/2023, 5:17 PM

Okay, a lot of useful knowledge here to unpack…

import will be a complete override of “complex” things such as DNSs

Assumed.

settings import fires on the
onServerStart

That was my assumption but not the experience of one of our devs, hence my attempt to understand the flow.

You can manually import config any time you like

I hadn’t thought about that but I guess that’s just like making changes directly in the Lucee Admin.

So back to the append/overwrite bit. CFConfig does this

That was my assumption.

if you had a JSON file with just a single setting

Also my assumption.

CFConfig has a mechanism to preload any number of lucee web contexts with config

Yes, I can easily get confused 👴 but I did quote that link in my original question and that’s the situation I am in - using ModCFML

start by analyzing the console output of the server when starting

Yes, I did look at that and it looks as I would expect although this is on a colleagues machine but I will look closer. Of course “_it works on my machine_” but there are enough differences to cause some doubt.

Do a
--dryRun
start and then confirm if the right config is in the right context from the CLI with the
cfconfig show ...
command

That’s good idea, I’ll certainly be trying that. Thanks @bdw429s, I’ll work through those ideas tomorrow and report back.

bdw429s

02/08/2023, 5:18 PM

👍

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