fix backward compatibility issues with Python 3.7

[nominatim.git] / docs / library / Configuration.md

diff --git a/docs/library/Configuration.md b/docs/library/Configuration.md
index 19b8feb803fcb413fe9e06adb6b0f3733406e352..713d1c53a0fdbbfa3cd5ffcbd980ee601651f0e9 100644 (file)
--- a/docs/library/Configuration.md
+++ b/docs/library/Configuration.md
@@ -1,6 +1,28 @@
-# Configuration class
+# Configuration
 
-::: nominatim.config.Configuration
+When using Nominatim through the library, it can be configured in exactly
+the same way as when running as a service. You may instantiate the library
+against the [project directory](../admin/Import.md#creating-the-project-directory)
+of your Nominatim installation. It contains all files belonging to the
+Nominatim instance. This may include an `.env` file with configuration options.
+Setting configuration parameters via environment variables works as well.
+Alternatively to using the operating system's environment, a set of
+configuration parameters may also be passed to the Nomiantim API object.
+
+Configuration options are resolved in the following order:
+
+* from the OS environment (or the dictionary given in `environ`,
+  (see NominatimAPI.md#nominatim.api.core.NominatimAPI.__init__)
+* from the .env file in the project directory of the installation
+* from the default installation in the configuration directory
+
+For more information on configuration via dotenv and a list of possible
+configuration parameters, see the [Configuration page](../customize/Settings.md).
+
+
+## `Configuration` class
+
+::: nominatim_api.Configuration
     options:
         members:
             - get_bool