Re: A standard package for config files is needed

[Preben Randhol <randhol+abuse@pvv.org>]

On Fri, 31 May 2002 09:21:18 -0400, Marin David Condic wrote:
> The reason is not for efficiency. The reason is that if the file is created
> under program control and is not editable by other means, then you can't
> fill it with corrupt data. Hence you don't have to check it on the way in to
> be sure some bonehead didn't screw up the syntax. It also makes the
> implementation a much simpler thing because there doesn't need to be a
> parser. 

Yes this is a nice feature and is of course very usable especially for
storing a lot of variables. I think Matlab does something like this (I
haven't seen the code of course, but I remember one could dump all
variables to a binary file that Matlab could read later)? 

However I still would also like to see a human editable text file that
one could *choose* to use the application one use.

> IOW, it keeps it down to the level of something that is likely to
> get implemented and actually work rather than something that will get
> discussed to death and have everyone waiting around for someone else to
> write a billion lines of code to correctly handle every conceivable text
> file format, syntax, internal representation, etc.

I agree with you, and that is why I would like to have *one* text
format which is simple to parse and gives a small package.

We should probably do all the below:

      1) Make a parser for reading/writing human editable text files
      2) Use XML
      3) Make a AdaRegistry
      4) Make interface to Window Registry and gconf (GNOME)
      5) Use streams
      6) Grace.Maps ?

But I really think that they should be split up in 6 parts so that one
can choose which package one wants to use. The other point is that we
don't know if there is a need for all these different packages at the
moment. So personally I would like to see 1) happening as a seperate
project :-)

> Keep it simple and get the job done & maybe we'll have something actual and
> useful rather than abstract and theoretical. :-)

Yes :-) This is what I'm trying to get at too.