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+# Loading data from config files
+
+Instead of [assigning data to templates from PHP](assigning.md), you can also
+use a config file.
+
+## Example config file
+Config files are best suited to manage template settings
+from one file. One example is a multi-language application.
+Instead of writing multiple templates to support different languages, 
+you can write a single template file and load your language dependent strings
+from config files.
+
+Example `lang.en.ini`:
+```ini
+# global variables
+pageTitle = "Main Menu"
+
+[Customer]
+pageTitle = "Customer Info"
+
+[Login]
+pageTitle = "Login"
+focus = "username"
+Intro = """This is a value that spans more
+           than one line. you must enclose
+           it in triple quotes."""
+
+```
+
+Values of [config file variables](./language-variables/language-config-variables.md) can be in
+quotes, but not necessary. You can use either single or double quotes.
+If you have a value that spans more than one line, enclose the entire
+value with triple quotes \("""\). You can put comments into config
+files by any syntax that is not a valid config file syntax. We recommend
+using a `#` (hash) at the beginning of the line.
+
+The example config file above has two sections. Section names are
+enclosed in \[brackets\]. Section names can be arbitrary strings not
+containing `[` or `]` symbols. The variable at the top is a global
+variable. Global variables are always
+loaded from the config file. If a particular section is loaded, then the
+global variables and the variables from that section are also loaded. If
+a variable exists both as a global and in a section, the section
+variable is used.
+
+## Loading a config file
+
+Config files are loaded into templates with the built-in template
+function [`{config_load}`](../../designers/language-builtin-functions/language-function-config-load.md) or by calling
+`configLoad()` from PHP:
+
+```php
+<?php
+$smarty->configLoad('lang.en.ini');
+```
+
+Load a specific section with:
+
+```php
+<?php
+$smarty->configLoad('lang.en.ini', 'Customer');
+```
+
+Note that the global section will always be loaded.
+
+## Retrieving config variables in PHP
+
+
+## Loading from a resource
+Config files (or resources) are loaded by the same resource facilities
+as templates. That means that a config file can also be loaded from a db. See [resources](../resources.md)
+for more information.
+
+## Config overwrite
+If you name two variables the same within a section,
+the last one will be used unless you call:
+```php
+<?php
+$smarty->setConfigOverwrite(false);
+```
+When config overwrite is disabled, Smarty will create arrays of config file variables when it encounters
+multiple entries with the same name.
+
+See also [`{config_load}`](./language-builtin-functions/language-function-config-load.md),
+[`$config_overwrite`](../programmers/api-variables/variable-config-overwrite.md),
+[`$default_config_handler_func`](../programmers/api-variables/variable-default-config-handler-func.md),
+[`getConfigVars()`](../programmers/api-functions/api-get-config-vars.md),
+[`clearConfig()`](../programmers/api-functions/api-clear-config.md) and
+[`configLoad()`](../programmers/api-functions/api-config-load.md)