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Retrieving values with "get_option();"

HI There,

I created a custom options panel within my admin area for my wordpress theme. (I followed the tutorial in this link)

Everything is working just fine.

When I try to retrieve a value within a page template using get_option, everything works as expected.

An example of the code used to pull a value is:

get_option('ss_latesttweet');

The issue I'm having is that I am trying to retrieve a value using the same technique, but within a file that is not a page template. The file is a separate PHP file that is located in the themes main directory.

I'm assuming that I need to somehow add connection information, or pass some sort of values to this PHP file so that it is able to execute the built in wordpress function of: get_option();

Any help is greatly appreciated.

WP Answers | 04/13/10 at 5:17pm | Edit

admin, php, wordpress

(3) Possible Answers Submitted...

Last edited:
04/13/10
5:34pm
Milan Petrovic says:
get_option is a function registered by WordPress, and you need to load WordPress to use it. Easiest way is to include wordpress load file on top of your php file:
```
<?php require_once("path/to/wp-load.php"); ?>
```
Be aware that this will load almost entire WordPress engine (nothing visual, but all functions and classes).

Previous versions of this answer: 04/13/10 at 5:25pm
- 04/13/10 5:34pm
  
  WP Answers says:
  Works like a charm.
  
  Thank you very much Milan.
Last edited:
04/13/10
5:29pm
Jarret Minkler says:
Don't use a file, simply use add_option("myhack_extraction_length", '255', '', 'yes');

As from this page http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/add_option

If you must get from file, open the file
```
$fh = fopen('filename', 'r');
```
and loop through the lines adding each using the add_option function
```
while($line = fgets($fh)){

    add_option(...);

}
```
This will create a new option in the database. then you can use get_option and update_option normally.

Previous versions of this answer: 04/13/10 at 5:29pm | 04/13/10 at 5:29pm
Last edited:
04/13/10
5:41pm
Buzu B says:
If you don't want to load up the entire wp engine, you can always perform a regular query to the data base. I can explain more on that if you want. Just let me know.
- 04/13/10 7:08pm
  
  WP Answers says:
  Hi Buzu,
  
  Is there any kind of security threat or anything for loading up the entire engine?
  
  Would it be more beneficial to just perform a query to the database?
  
  Thanks a lot for your input.