Re: [as-devel] Configuration File Format (again)
Doug Alcorn (doug@lathi.net)
12 Sep 1999 12:59:59 -0400
Steven Baker <sbaker@debian.org> writes:
> I think before we decide how we'll layout the configuration files,
> we have to set our priorities concerning GNUstep. Do we want to be
> GNUstep compatible? If yes, then we should use PropList for
> configuration, because that is compatbiel with GNUstep. If not, then
> our configuration files don't belong in GNUstep (~/.afterstep/
> anyone?).
I'm not sure what GNUstep compatibility means. We have been putting
our stuff in ~/G/L/A for a long time now. It seems like everyone has
questioned this at some time or another. I think ~/.afterstep would
be great. I think most everyone makes a symlink from ~/g/l/a to
~/.something anyway.
> If we choose to go either with an XML- or PropList-based
> configuration, then I will get started right away. Otherwise, I may
> not have the time needed to write a parser for a brand new
> configuration file format.
>
I know sasha has done work on his own config parser (BTW, Sasha,
_great_ work on the gradients!). Personally, the more I hear about
XML, the more I like it. I don't have any idea how hard it would be
to switch from the MyStyles to XML; Ethan should be able to elaborate
more on that. I do like the way MyStyles work from the look file.
The idea is that we don't have to maintain another library (config
parsing), we can just use some other XML library. (At this point, I
know Sasha could stand up and say, "'We' who?". He is doing a
herculean amount of coding on the project. My own contributions have
been few and I can't remember the last one.)
--
(__) Doug Alcorn
oo / doug@lathi.net
|_/ "If you don't have the source, it's not software"