Using Constants

About the File

Throughout the self-hosted guides for Invision Community, you may see references to a file named constants.php.

This is an optional configuration file that can be created within the root directory of your Suite. This is an advanced option, in which is not actively supported.

You will see references to "constants.php" throughout our guides. The constants.php is a special file you an optionally create in the root directory of your Suite which can include special commands and configuration options which alter the normal behavior of the Suite.

File Format

You would create a file in the root directory of your Suite, the same directory where index.php and init.php are located, called constants.php. In that file you would simply enter:

<?php
\define('THE_CONSTANT_YOU_ARE_ADDING','ValueOfConstantHere');

Then below that line any special commands referenced throughout our guides or via instructions in the AdminCP. Many functions are available and common settings include caching controls, debug tools, and special overrides based on your server environment.

Most people do not ever need to worry about constants.php until you find a special circumstance.

Common Constants

While this list is not a full list of constants within the system, these are some of the most common ones you will find in use

WARNING: Changing any of these values without full knowledge of what you are doing can result in system issues. Please do not add constants without this knowledge.

• Constant - CP_DIRECTORY
  Use - Name of your admin CP directory when changed from the default of 'admin'
  Example value - 'newcpdirectory'
   

• Constant - IN_DEV
  Use - Places the system into developer mode (dev tools must be present)
  Example value - TRUE
   

• Constant - IPS_FOLDER_PERMISSION
  Use - Default permission folders will be set to for writable folders
  Example value - 0777
   

• Constant - FOLDER_PERMISSION_NO_WRITE
  Use - Default permission folders will be set to for non-writable folders
  Example value - 0755
   

• Constant - IPS_FILE_PERMISSION
  Use - Default permission files will be set to
  Example value - 0666
   

• Constant - FILE_PERMISSION_NO_WRITE
  Use - Default permission files will be set to for non-writable files
  Example value - 0644
   

• Constant - COOKIE_PREFIX
  Use - Prefix to add to any cookie. Helpful if you have cookies of the same name for other uses
  Example value - 'ips4_'
   

• Constant - UPGRADE_MANUAL_THRESHOLD
  Use - Row count in a table before manual query prompt will occur. Do not change unless you are 100% sure your server will run above this in all queries.
  Example value - 250000
   

• Constant - UPGRADE_LARGE_TABLE_SIZE
  Use - Size of table before manual query prompt will occur. Do not change unless you are 100% sure your server will run above this in all queries.
  Example value - 100000000
   

• Constant - USE_DEVELOPMENT_BUILDS
  Use - Adding a true value to this will allow the automatic upgrader to pick up public alpha and beta releases.
  Example value - TRUE
   

• Constant - TEMP_DIRECTORY
  Use - Temp directory to use. By default this will use your servers set temp directory
  Example value - '/some/full/path/'
   

• Constant - BYPASS_ACP_IP_CHECK
  Use - Removes the check of IP from your ACP
  Example value - TRUE
   

• Constant - RECOVERY_MODE
  Use - Used for recovery of the system when failure occurs in 3rd party items, preventing ACP access
  Example value - TRUE
   

• Constant - DISABLE_MFA
  Use - Disabled two factor authentication on the system.
  Example value - TRUE
   

• Constant - REBUILD_SLOW
  Use - Number of items to be rebuilt per-cycle for routines that take a while (change only if you are 100% sure your system will cope)
  Example value - 50
   

• Constant - REBUILD_NORMAL
  Use - Number of items to be rebuilt per-cycle for most routines (change only if you are 100% sure your system will cope)
  Example value - 250
   

• Constant - REBUILD_QUICK
  Use - Number of items to be rebuilt per-cycle for routines that are fast (change only if you are 100% sure your system will cope)
  Example value - 500
   

• Constant - UPGRADING_PAGE
  Use - Allows you to use an alternative page to the usual upgrading.html page, which is shown when an upgrade is in progress
  Example value -  '/some/full/path/something.html'