def get_settings(self):
        """
        Retrieve all Variable Explorer configuration settings.
        
        Specifically, return the settings in CONF_SECTION with keys in 
        REMOTE_SETTINGS, and the setting 'dataframe_format'.
        
        Returns:
            dict: settings
        """
        settings = {}
        for name in REMOTE_SETTINGS:
            settings[name] = self.get_option(name)

        # dataframe_format is stored without percent sign in config
        # to avoid interference with ConfigParser's interpolation
        name = 'dataframe_format'
        settings[name] = '%{0}'.format(self.get_option(name))
        return settings