I would say that 'system' level configurations(applying to all users) could easily be handled with XML files or properties files. User preferences, since they are tied to a specific user, IMO belong in the database, probably in a user preferences table. I know XML is a popular choice - you could create a seperate folder, for each user, to hold user settings (like a preferences.xml file), or you could store all user info in one monolithic file. I don't much like either of these approaches. I prefer to store application-specific configurations in the database, using 'codelist' tables. I wrote an article about it a few months ago, have a look if you want: http://www.developer.com/db/article.php/3413151
I wrote an app where I stored all preferences in codelist tables. Then, I had a user_preferences table that, instead of referencing a preference_id in a preference table, referenced a preference in a codelist name which was about 5 characters in length. Mike Daniel Perry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: The most common way to store more than one element in a properties file is to have more than one entry like the following: colour.count=3 colour.0=red colour.1=green colour.2=blue So your code loads the property for colour.count and loops through the other properties. Not very elegant, but it works. Daniel. > -----Original Message----- > From: Julian [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 17 November 2004 14:08 > To: Struts Users Mailing List > Subject: Re: [OT] User Preference System Design > > > Hi, > > Thanks for the input. The Properties object is more > inline with what I was thinking. The problem with it > however, is that there can only be one key/value pair. > I see no ability to have one key with multiple pairs > other than doing comma delimitation. This is why XML > was chosen originally. The problem with it now is > that it is not stored in an RDBMS, and I am unaware of > the scalability of a user preferences system based on > XML. Comments/Suggestions? > > Thanks again, > Julian > > --- Erik Weber wrote: > > > I like java.util.Properties, or, if Strings aren't > > good enough, another > > wrapper for a Map that allows put/get of Objects but > > that uses a > > hierarchical default system like Properties does. > > Properties has built > > in load/save methods that you can use to store your > > properties on disk > > until you move them to a RDBMS. Base user has colors > > A, B, C. Next > > higher user needs to have a different color A but > > inherit colors B and > > C. Create his properties with the Base user > > properties as the default, > > then just put the new property A. Works nicely for > > that sort of thing. > > > > Erik > > > > > > Julian wrote: > > > > >Hi, I am a Struts Newbie and would appreciate if > > >anyone could give me some pointers on a user > > >preferences/ configuration system design. Perhaps > > a > > >link to a good resource? I have an ASP system with > > >several levels of "users" that are as broad as an > > >organization and as fine-grained as an individual > > >person with one role. I would like to have a > > >preference system that can handle configuration and > > >preference issues for the different levels of the > > >application. The information stored in these > > >configurations range from font colors and alert > > boxes > > >to the availability of various modules in the web > > >application. Currently the information is stored > > in > > >xml files on the server's hard disk, but this will > > not > > >suit a distributable environment. Any suggestions > > are > > >greatly appreciated. > > > > > >Thanks in Advance, > > >Julian > > > > > >===== > > >Live simply so others may simply live. > > > > > >-Ghandi > > > > > >Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate. > > >"Entities should not be multiplied unneccesarily" > > > > > >-William of Occam > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >__________________________________ > > >Do you Yahoo!? > > >The all-new My Yahoo! - Get yours free! > > >http://my.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > > > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >To unsubscribe, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >For additional commands, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > For additional commands, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > ===== > Live simply so others may simply live. > > -Ghandi > > Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate. > "Entities should not be multiplied unneccesarily" > > -William of Occam > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! – Get yours free!
