Default configuration file - the better implementation ?

Site-wide (or user or context) configuration should be done through settings

You should be aware of the difference between Property Sets, and the Default Properties available on the Properties tab of elements. Those Default Properties are not technically a Property Set. In fact, they are the equivalent of a Property Set’s properties. The getProperties() method will get the properties of either one:

/* get the Default Properties of a snippet (or other element) */
$snippet = $modx->getObject(’modSnippet’,array(’name’=>’SnippetName’));
$properties = $snippet->getProperties();

/* Get the properties of a particular Property Set */
$propSet = $modx->getObject(’modPropertySet’,array(’name’=>’PropertySetName’));
$properties = $propSet->getProperties();

I’m confused; getProperties is used internally; that is not really a function that needs to be called explicitly, ever.

If you do end up using properties, bear in mind that when you use getProperties() for a snippet, same-name properties in a custom property set specified in the snippet tag will override the default properties and same-name parameters in the snippet tag will override both of those.

/* show default properties */
$snippet = $modx->getObject('modSnippet',array('name'=>'Doodles'));
$properties = $snippet->getProperties();

$output = '';
foreach($properties as $key=>$value) {
    $output .= "$key = $value, ";
}
echo "default properties: " . $output . "<br /><br />";

/* show newTpl properties */
$propSet = $modx->getObject('modPropertySet',array('name'=>'newTpl'));
$newTplProperties = $propSet->getProperties();

$output = '';
foreach($newTplProperties as $key=>$value) {
    $output .= "$key = $value, ";
}
echo "newTpl properties: " . $output . "<br /><br />";

/* show final properties */
$output = '';
foreach($scriptProperties as $key=>$value) {
    $output .= "$key = $value, ";
}
echo "script properties: " . $output . "<br /><br />";

default properties: tpl = rowTpl, sort = name, dir = DESC,

newTpl properties: tpl = newTpl,

script properties: tpl = newTpl, sort = description, dir = ASC,

$snippet = $modx->getObject('modSnippet',array('name'=>'Doodles'));
$properties = $snippet->getProperties();

If you have settings that you want to go to an ajax handler, you need to either:

a) Pass them over ajax.
b) Make them Settings.

Bypassing this means that your users can’t override things with tags, property sets or tag properties.

I’m confused; getProperties is used internally; that is not really a function that needs to be called explicitly, ever.

$set = $modx->getObject('modPropertySet',array('name'=>'MyCustomPropertySet'))
$props = $set->getProperties();
$output .= $modx->getChunk('PropChunk', $props);