Re: A standard package for config files is needed

[Mats Karlssohn <mats@mida.se>]

Ted Dennison wrote:
> 
> "Marin David Condic" <dont.bother.mcondic.auntie.spam@[acm.org> wrote in message news:<ad3bbh$p54$1@nh.pace.co.uk>...
%<
> > build the structure to suit that. If you want a tree-like structure, it
> > might be viewed as a Map of Maps. My idea was that if you had Maps
> 
> Hmmmm. I suppose it could at that.

yes, I think that a config file maps nicely onto a map of maps...

Sorry, I couldn't resist the [pf]un :-)

%<
> You are absolutely right that this opens a big can of worms as to what
> the proper format should be. That's why I'm most interested in if its
> possible to reach some kind of consensus on what the format should be.

Do we really need consensus regarding the storage format ?

I'm thinking on the lines of a nice abstract interface with multiple
possible implementations where the user may pick the one that fits
best with his/her current requirements. And yes, I realize that this
will probably mean some more generic instasiation (spl ?) that may
seem silly for novice users, however that may be owercome by providing
preinstansiated packages for the common case.

On windows there should be an implementation that maps to the
registry API. On all systems plain text files should be possibly,
probably in different flavours: windows .ini file, maybe the format
windows regedit imports/exports, XML in some form(s ?).
Other more esoteric implementations could use a database, the
Application Configuration Access Protocol (RFC 2244), LDAP and so on.

I think what we need is consensus on a general abstract interface for
configuration data access, that can have multiple different
implementations (possibly in the same program, think of a
"configuration file converter).

Marin's suggestion of accessing the configuration data as a map of
maps is IMHO quite nice.

-- 
Mats Karlssohn, developer                         mailto:mats@mida.se  
Mida Systemutveckling AB                          http://www.mida.se
Box 64, S-732 22 ARBOGA, SWEDEN
Phone: +46-(0)589-89808   Fax: +46-(0)589-89809