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Version: 3.5.x

Global Server Configuration (config.php)

The config.php file is the heart of the ABCD Central module. It acts as the bootstrap script, defining:

  1. Paths: Where databases, scripts, and executables are located.
  2. Drivers: Which version of the CISIS database engine to use.
  3. Behavior: Global switches for encoding (Unicode), security, and external integrations.

Location: htdocs/central/config.php

:::danger Critical Configuration If this file is missing or contains syntax errors, the system will trigger a FATAL ERROR and stop working immediately. :::

Initial Setup​

ABCD is distributed with a template file named config.php.template. To activate the system, you must:

  1. Rename (or copy) htdocs/central/config.php.template to htdocs/central/config.php.
  2. Edit the file to match your server environment.

Configuration Variables​

1. Database and System Paths​

These are the most critical variables. If incorrect, the login screen might load, but no databases will be visible.

VariableDescription
$db_pathAbsolute path to the folder containing your databases (the bases folder).
$ABCD_pathThe relative or absolute path to the application root. Usually calculated automatically.
$urlThe URL suffix for the application (e.g., /abcd).

Example:

// LINUX
$db_path="/var/opt/ABCD/bases/";

// WINDOWS (Note the use of forward slashes / or escaped backslashes \\)
$db_path="C:/ABCD/www/bases/";

:::caution Trailing Slash The $db_path MUST end with a trailing slash (/). Failing to do so will break file lookups. :::

2. CISIS Engine & Encoding​

ABCD allows switching between different versions of the CISIS database engine (the core software that reads/writes data) depending on your OS and character set needs.

  • $def_uni: Defines the default encoding behavior.

  • "1": Unicode (UTF-8). Recommended for modern installations.

  • "0": ANSI. For legacy databases using ISO-8859-1.

  • $cisis_ver: Specifies the subfolder in cgi-bin containing the executable.

  • "" (Empty): Uses the standard version (typically 16-60).

  • "bigisis": Uses the BigISIS version (supports larger records/files).

  • "ffi": For specific architecture builds.

How ABCD calculates the path: The system combines these variables to find the correct executable (wxis): .../cgi-bin/ + $unicode + $cisis_ver + wxis.exe

3. Execution Method (POST vs GET)​

Large records can exceed the character limit of a standard URL (GET request). ABCD can force the use of the POST method to handle data.

$postMethod = '1'; // 1 = Use POST (Recommended), 0 = Use GET

  • If set to 1, the system executes WXIS via a shell command or POST pipe.
  • If set to 0, parameters are passed via the URL (limitations may apply).

4. External Integrations​

LDAP Authentication​

If your institution uses Active Directory or OpenLDAP, you can bypass the internal password list.

$use_ldap = 0; // Set to 1 to enable
$ldap_host = "ldap://your-ldap-server.com";
$ldap_dn = "cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com";
$ldap_pass = "secret";
$ldap_search_context = "ou=users,dc=example,dc=com";

Java Path (EmpWeb)​

Required if you are using the Advanced Loans module (EmpWeb) or specific Java-based reporting tools.

$java_path = "/usr/bin/java";

5. Editor Settings (CKEditor)​

Configuration for the rich text editor used in HTML fields.

$FCKEditorPath = "/site/bvs-mod/FCKeditor/";

6. Business Rules​

  • $inventory_numeric: Controls how inventory numbers are sorted and treated.

  • "Y": Treats inventory as strict numbers.

  • "N": Treats them as alphanumeric strings.

  • $max_inventory_length: Limits the size of the inventory number field to prevent data entry errors.

Server URL Detection​

Modern versions of ABCD attempt to automatically detect the server address to construct links. You usually do not need to edit these lines:

if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'])){
    $server_url = $protocol . "://" . $host . ":" . $server_port;
}

However, if you are behind a reverse proxy or using a complex alias, you might need to manually hardcode $server_url.

Troubleshooting​

"Effect of Fatal Error: Configuration file does not exist"​

  • Cause: You have not renamed config.php.template to config.php.
  • Fix: Rename the file in htdocs/central/.

Images or Databases not loading​

  • Cause: Incorrect $db_path.
  • Fix: Ensure the path is correct for your OS and ends with /. On Windows, check if you are using simple backslashes \ (which escape characters) instead of forward slashes /.

"wxis execution failed" or Search errors​

  • Cause: Incorrect $cisis_ver or file permissions.
  • Fix:
  1. Check if the wxis executable exists in the calculated path (e.g., cgi-bin/bigisis/wxis).
  2. On Linux, ensure the cgi-bin files have execution permissions (chmod +x).