How to Get the OpenCart Module ID in Code

If you are a module developer or want to customize an existing module, you will be surprised to find that you cannot check the module's id in code. By default, OpenCart does not pass module_id into the module settings, and this is especially frustrating for multi-modules that allow you to create several instances of a module with different settings.

Why module_id is needed

The module identifier is a unique number for every module in the system. It matters in many usage scenarios. When you create several instances of the same module with different settings, module_id lets you distinguish between them. When working with the database, module_id makes it possible to build queries that work only with data of a specific module instance. This is important for modules that store user settings or work results, or for caching. Or simply for a check in code, when you need to add something only for a specific module and not for all of its sibling copies.

By default, OpenCart passes only the settings from the database's setting field into the module controller. When the system calls the module, it unpacks the settings JSON, but loses information about the module identifier itself. This means that inside the module controller, the developer has no direct access to module_id without additional code manipulations.

Solution via OCMOD

The simplest way to solve this problem is to create an OCMOD modifier that automatically adds module_id to the module's settings. This approach practically does not break the standard OpenCart architecture and ensures compatibility with all existing modules.

    Fix: Add module_id to setting
    fix-module_id
    1.0.0
    ocdev.pro]]>
    https://ocdev.pro/en/
    
        
            row['setting'], true);
            ]]>
            row['setting'], true);
            $setting['module_id'] = $module_id;
            return $setting;
            ]]>
        
    

The modifier changes the getModule method in the file catalog/model/setting/module.php. Instead of simply returning the parsed JSON settings, the system now adds a module_id field to this array with the corresponding value.

This approach guarantees that every module automatically gets access to its unique identifier without the need for additional changes in controller code.

Installing and activating the modifier

After uploading, go to Extensions → Modifications and click the Refresh button to apply the changes. The system will automatically apply the modification to the required file.

The modifier is fully compatible with existing modules and does not require changes to their code. All modules that do not use module_id continue to work as usual. The modifier has no impact on system performance, since it adds only a single value assignment to the existing process. At the same time, it is universal and works with all types of modules without exceptions.

Example of using module_id in module code

After installing the modifier, you can easily use module_id in your modules. In the module controller, the identifier becomes available through the settings array:

class ControllerExtensionModuleYourModule extends Controller {
    public function index($setting) {
        $module_id = isset($setting['module_id']) ? $setting['module_id'] : 0;
        
        // Use for caching
        $cache_key = 'your_module.' . $module_id;
        $data = $this->cache->get($cache_key);
        
        // For working with the database
        $this->db->query("UPDATE custom_table SET data = 'value' 
                         WHERE module_id = '" . (int)$module_id . "'");
        
        // For saving logs
        $this->log->write('Module ' . $module_id . ' executed successfully');
    }
}

If you need to pass module_id to the module's template, add the following line to the module controller:

$data['module_id'] = isset($setting['module_id']) ? $setting['module_id'] : 0;

As you can see, getting the module id is very simple, and we have shown you one of the methods — the simplest and fastest way to do it. This will allow you to extend the capabilities of your system and customize your modules to your needs.