Title: error 'misconfigured setting' when wp-config.php outside wp root
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# error 'misconfigured setting' when wp-config.php outside wp root

 *  Resolved [Bego Mario Garde](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pixolin/)
 * (@pixolin)
 * [13 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/)
 * I love slimstat, but think I stumbled over a bug today:
 * With line 4 of wp-slimstat-js.php you set the path to wp-config.phg using `$wp_root_folder
   = '../../..';` which may work fine in a standard wordpress installation, but 
   not if you follow good practice for hardening wordpress, which also suggests 
   to [move wp-config.php outside your htdocs folder](http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress#Securing_wp-config.php).
 * May I suggest you use lines 26 to 34 of wp-load.php which retrieves wp-config.
   php from the wordpress-folder, or – if missing – from the folder above.
 * Editing the plugin manually as your comment in wp-slimstat-js.php line 3/6 suggests
   is undesirable.
 * Is there any particular reason that you do direct mysql_connects instead of using
   the $wpdb object?
 * “Tanti Saluti”, pixolin
 * [http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-slimstat/](http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-slimstat/)

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

 *  Plugin Contributor [Jason Crouse](https://wordpress.org/support/users/coolmann/)
 * (@coolmann)
 * [13 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264012)
 * Hi there,
 * thank you for pointing this out. According to the lines of code you referenced,
   wp-config could be moved to the parent folder, so my code should be looking there
   as well:
 *     ```
       if ( file_exists( ABSPATH . 'wp-config.php') ) {
   
       	/** The config file resides in ABSPATH */
       	require_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-config.php' );
   
       } elseif ( file_exists( dirname(ABSPATH) . '/wp-config.php' ) && ! file_exists( dirname(ABSPATH) . '/wp-settings.php' ) ) {
   
       	/** The config file resides one level above ABSPATH but is not part of another install */
       	require_once( dirname(ABSPATH) . '/wp-config.php' );
   
       } else {
   
       	// A config file doesn't exist
       ```
   
 * I will modify wp-slimstat-js.php to keep this exception in account.
 * The reason why I don’t load the ENTIRE WordPress engine to execute just a couple
   of queries is quite evident: performance 😉
 * Ciao,
    Camu
 * PS: a vote for my plugin would be a nice way to say thank you.
 *  Thread Starter [Bego Mario Garde](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pixolin/)
 * (@pixolin)
 * [13 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264013)
 * Thanks for your kind attention.
 * Oh, and regarding the vote: been there, done that (a while ago already).
    Keep
   up the good work!
 * Ciao, pixolin.
 *  Plugin Contributor [Jason Crouse](https://wordpress.org/support/users/coolmann/)
 * (@coolmann)
 * [13 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264018)
 * A fix has already been added to 2.8.7 🙂
 * Cheers,
    Camu
 *  [thob](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thob/)
 * (@thob)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264074)
 * Hi,
 * my config.php is pointing to the actual configuration file like so
 *     ```
       <?php
       include('/is/htdocs/w.../px7g.php');
       ?>
       ```
   
 * seems to create **Error parsing wp-config** with slimstat.
 * Any cure for that?
 *  Plugin Contributor [Jason Crouse](https://wordpress.org/support/users/coolmann/)
 * (@coolmann)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264075)
 * Hi Thob,
 * in your case you will need to point `wp-slimstat-js.php` to the REAL config file,
   basically where the DB access params are defined. You will have to edit it every
   time you update WP SlimStat (I’m working on a way to avoid that, though).
 * Cheers,
    Camu
 * PS: a vote for my plugin would be a nice way to say thank you.
 *  [thob](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thob/)
 * (@thob)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264076)
 * thanks! – will do 🙂
 *  [thob](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thob/)
 * (@thob)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264077)
 * Hmm, the file is in a parallel directory like 5 up and then into a dir that’s
   parallel to www. How would I write it?
 * Thanks
 *  Plugin Contributor [Jason Crouse](https://wordpress.org/support/users/coolmann/)
 * (@coolmann)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264078)
 * Use .. for each folder up 😉
 * Let’s say you have slimstat in
 * /home/www/wp-content/plugins/wp-slimstat
 * and your wp-config is in
 * /home/www/config/wp-config.php
 * Then you need to go 3 up and 1 down:
 * ../../../config
 * Hopefully your file is called wp-config.php 😀
 * If it’s not, you will have to further edit the code of my file to make it work
   for you.
 * I will add this to the next release (only if you are willing to change your vote
   from 4 to 5 stars hehe… just kidding).
 * Cheers,
    Camu
 *  [thob](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thob/)
 * (@thob)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264079)
 * it’s named differently 😉 what else do I have to edit then?
 *  Plugin Contributor [Jason Crouse](https://wordpress.org/support/users/coolmann/)
 * (@coolmann)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264080)
 * I’m wondering why anyone would have such a non-standard environment. What are
   the benefits of this approach? Once I get access to the first file, I know where
   to find the second, no matter how you call it 🙂
 * Anyway, a solution to your problem will be implemented soon.
 * Stay tuned and thanks for your vote!
    Camu
 *  [thob](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thob/)
 * (@thob)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264081)
 * If I remember correctly it was a security advice. But you are right one leads
   to the other
 * btw: you got 5* for excellent product & support 🙂
 * **Update**: here is the post about [moving the configuration file](http://www.groovypost.com/howto/howto/improve-wordpress-securitty-wp-config-php-location/)
 *  Plugin Contributor [Jason Crouse](https://wordpress.org/support/users/coolmann/)
 * (@coolmann)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264082)
 * Thank you for the reference, much appreciated. I am implementing the workaround,
   which basically will allow you to write the path to your wp-config in a file 
   within your wp-content folder. WP SlimStat will search for that file, and use
   the path to locate your wp-config 🙂 And even if you update WP SlimStat, your
   file won’t be overwritten.
 * Cool?
 * Camu

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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## Tags

 * [Misconfigured setting](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/misconfigured-setting/)
 * [wp-config.php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/wp-config-php/)

 * 12 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Jason Crouse](https://wordpress.org/support/users/coolmann/)
 * Last activity: [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-misconfigured-setting-when-wp-configphp-outside-wp-root/#post-3264082)
 * Status: resolved