Doc #65532 [NEW]: Recommendation to remove undocumented configuration directives

From: cevfora at elitemail dot org Operating system: PHP version: Irrelevant Package: Documentation problem Bug Type: Documentation Problem Bug description:Recommendation to remove undocumented configuration directives Description: ------------ PROBLEM: The page titled "List of php.ini directives" at http://www.php.net/manual/en/ini.list.php includes directives lacking documentation such as axis2.* birdstep.max_links coin_acceptor.* daffodildb.* imlib2.* intl.* ircg.* pam.servicename python.* simple_cvs.* uploadprogress.file.filename_template valkyrie.* velocis.max_links vld.* xmms.* yami.response.timeout These directives A) lack links to documentation, and B) have no corresponding PHP extensions listed on the page http://www.php.net/manual/en/extensions.alphabetical.php where the extension name would be implied from the configuration directive name of the form <extension name>.<parameter> (e.g. pam.servicename implies extension "pam"). Moreover, PECL does not have packages with the names birdstep, ircg, velocis, simple_cvs) according to searches at http://pecl.php.net/package-search.php RECOMMENDATION: A) Remove these directives from the page "List of php.ini directives" and no longer make an effort to document them on www.php.net. or ... B) Remove these directives from the page "List of php.ini directives" and move them to a new page (e.g. "Directives Formerly Documented on www.php.net"). or ... C) Retain these directives on the page "List of php.ini directives" and provide links to a page that informs the programmer seeking documentation that the corresponding PHP extensions are no longer being documented at php.net. OPINION: The following are my opinions on these 3 possible solutions. I recognize that others may have different, and more enlightened insight into the realities of documenting a list of configuration directives that continues to evolve. Solution A is cleanest; if a directive is listed, then it is documented. Solution B could provide a resource for the programmer who asks "What happened to the directive I used 8 years ago that appears to be missing?". Solution C inelegantly combines directives currently documented on www.php.net with directives no longer adequately documented on the site. Over time the list of directives may grow with the undocumented directives becoming a larger fraction of the total set of listed directives, diluting the value of the list. The programmer would find no clear documentation of why some configuration directive "remnants" are left in the list while many other extensions (as provided in numerous PECL packages) are not documented at all. -- Edit bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=65532&edit=1 -- Try a snapshot (PHP 5.4): https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=trysnapshot54 Try a snapshot (PHP 5.3): https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=trysnapshot53 Try a snapshot (trunk): https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=trysnapshottrunk Fixed in SVN: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=fixed Fixed in release: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=alreadyfixed Need backtrace: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=needtrace Need Reproduce Script: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=needscript Try newer version: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=oldversion Not developer issue: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=support Expected behavior: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=notwrong Not enough info: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=notenoughinfo Submitted twice: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=submittedtwice register_globals: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=globals PHP 4 support discontinued: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=php4 Daylight Savings: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=dst IIS Stability: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=isapi Install GNU Sed: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=gnused Floating point limitations: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=float No Zend Extensions: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=nozend MySQL Configuration Error: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=65532&r=mysqlcfg