Magento 1.8 – Resolving Wrong Database Settings Issue

local.xmlmagento-1.8MySQL

I'm creating backup copies of my local.xml files in the app/etc. directory for the different sandbox environments I use (e.g. localhost.local.xml, sandbox.localhost.xml, production.localhost.xml). I do this out of convenience so they are retained in my git repository.

However, I find that sometimes Magento picks up the wrong database configuration for the environment, not from the local.xml.

Best Answer

I discovered the hard way that renaming the .xml files in the app/etc directory by prefixing them (but leaving the .xml extension) was causing problems with my Magento site.

It turns out that Magento loads all *.xml files from the app/etc directory, not just global.xml and local.xml. See function loadBase() in app/code/core/Model/Config.php

The .xml files are then processed in the order returned by glob (which I believe is alphabetical by default). This means that local.xml values overriding global.xml values is just a side-effect of the fact that global.xml is returned eariler in the list.

The problem is, if you have extra files, like I did, the files that come later in the alphabet may override your settings in local.xml ! I've learned my lesson and no longer leave the trailing .xml on my backup files in that app/etc directory anymore.

Hope this is useful to others debugging mysterious database connection issues!

Related Solutions

Magento 1.6 XML Configuration – Explain app/etc/local.xml File

In Local.xml file magento store the database information host details of the site while installing.

Just have look on your local.xml file.

You need to change the following

<default_setup>
    <connection>
        <host><![CDATA[localhost]]></host>
        <username><![CDATA[root]]></username>
        <password><![CDATA[]]></password>
        <dbname><![CDATA[magento-tdmes]]></dbname>
        <initStatements><![CDATA[SET NAMES utf8]]></initStatements>
        <model><![CDATA[mysql4]]></model>
        <type><![CDATA[pdo_mysql]]></type>
        <pdoType><![CDATA[]]></pdoType>
        <active>1</active>
    </connection>
</default_setup>

Host tag your host name

username tag DataBase User Name

password tag DataBase password

dbname tag Site DataBase Name

Change these things for your dev server.

NOTE: If this file readable to all then Hackers can easily hack your site

Magento – Using custom Environment Variables for sensitive database info

Do you have a deployment? Just create the local.xml with your deployment, where ever the data in it comes from.

Btw, local.xml shouldn't be stored in git, with or without db data :-)

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Magento 1.6 XML Configuration – Explain app/etc/local.xml File

Magento – Using custom Environment Variables for sensitive database info

Related Topic