Cacti – File System Layout

# File System Layout

It is important that files are well placed and named within Cacti's directory structure. The naming structure may contain a category token and/or an action.

## Token

Under each category directory, functions should be broken out into multiple files where applicable. All files must begin with the name of category (ie. its parent directory name). Valid token names are

- auth
- automation
- color_template
- data_input
- data_query
- data_source
- data_source_profile
- data_template
- device (rename from host)
- device_template
- event (if we have event management in core)
- graph
- graph_template
- graph_tree
- package
- plugin
- poller
- preset (colors, cdefs, vdefs, gprints, etc)
- site
- user

## Actions

This part should reflect what type of actions the file contains. Specific examples are listed below.

- info - reads information
- update - writes (or changes) information
- form - draws form-related information
- execute - performs some action that does not modify or return information
- utility - contains miscellaneous functions

## Function Verbs

Functions in those PHP modules shall name their token and shall contain a verb to explain the purpose. Specific examples are listed below.

- list
- get
- save
- copy
- clear
- remove
- update

## Directory Structure

### cli/

`[token]_[action].php`

### images/

- icons/ # 16x16, 32x32 icons
- buttons/ # button images (save, cancel, etc)
- tabs/ # tab images

### include/

Code that must be accessed globally but is not contained inside of a function should be stored in the `include/` directory. The most common examples are to store globally accessible constants and arrays.

Directly under the `include/` directory, the files beginning with `global` are used to store information that is accessible everywhere in the code. Only store information in these files that are meaningful to the entire program. Also under the `include/` directory is a directory for each category (graph, device, etc), where information specific to that category is to be stored.

Constants that are made available everyone in the program

    include/global_constants.php

Arrays that are only used with graphs

    include/graph_arrays.php

      content/
      fa/                                   # FontAwesome files
      js/                                   # javascript files
      themes/[theme]/                       # Visual theme files
      vendor/
        csrf/                               # CSRF Magic
        flag-icon-css/                      # Flag Icons
        phpgettext/                         # PHP GetText Library
        phpmailer/                          # PHP Mailer Library
        phpseclib/                          # PHP Security Library
        phpsnmp/                            # PHP Snmp Library

      auth.php                              # Ensures user authenticate and
                                            # includes global.php
      cacti_version
      cli_check.php                         # Default Command Line Include also
                                            # includes global.php
      global_arrays.php
      global_constants.php                  # Constants only
      global_form.php                       # Form field definitions
      global_languages.php                  # Language selector
      global.php
      global_session.php                    # Session variable management
      global_settings.php                   # Setting definitions
      session.php                           # Session management

      plugins.php                           # Global plugin variables

      bottom_footer.php                     # Standard Footer
      top_general_header.php
      top_graph_header.php
      top_header.php

      layout.js                             # Main layout javascript
      realtime.js                           # Realtime javascript functions

### lib/

Functions that must be accessed globally should be stored in the ''lib/'' directory. This is where most of the heavy lifting in Cacti occurs.

Directly under the `lib/` directory, the files beginning with the `api` prefix are core Cacti API's that are only to be used by third party developers and should NEVER include a call to a `$_REQUEST`, `$_POST`, or `$_GET` variable.

Files that have the `html` prefix, generally invole the rendering of page content, for example the `html_form.php` library draws forms and `html_validate.php` includes functions to validate page variables there are other various files in the current cacti `lib/` directory that will over time be changing with the migration to the next major version of Cacti. So, these rules may change over time.

Here is the core API for the Cacti `graphs.php` page, and that deals with the manipulation of Graphs.

    lib/api_graph.php

### locales/

Language-related files are stored here to handle the multi-lingual natural of Cacti. These can be updated by running the `update-pot.sh` script. It is advised to do this whenever you are submitting a change to the Cacti via Pull Request. Otherwise, language translations can be missed.

### plugins/

Directly under the `plugins/` directory are sub directories that contain plugins for Cacti. Since Cacti 1.0.0, all plugins must have an accompanying INFO file that details the plugin.

## Including and Requiring Files

To reduce bloat, each file and/or function should include any and all files which it relies on.

The following function directly relies the libraries related to sequences and reading graph information. The `require_once` directive is used instead of `require` to prevent PHP re-declaration errors.

    function api_graph_item_save($graph_item_id, &$_fields_graph_item) {
        require_once(CACTI_BASE_PATH . '/lib/sys/sequence.php');
        require_once(CACTI_BASE_PATH . '/lib/graph/graph_info.php');

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