Exactly this would make conversion to and XML file format seemless and easy once the programs were converted then the XML file system would continue to be of use but in this case simple as a front end for a
data base.. The XML file system represents and easy way to access XML data without knowning the storage part of the XML daemon. So I think its of utility beyond providing backwards compatibility. This concept could be generalized to provide the data as XML, Legacy Format or as a flat file database format for example. So you could have /etc /xetc /dbetc dbetc would probably be the "real" storage and not map directly onto the files on etc and xetc. I don't know if this generalization is useful but I would think and XML file system would be useful beyond the use for legacy support. This allows the data to be viewed as XML files but stored externally. Sort of like a cgi-bin or servelet file system. There is already a user space file system for linux and I think similar file systems are aviable for all unices and NT so it cross platform. In this context where the config file is in a "special" file system backed by a db. XML makes a lot of sense. Anyway this is the "big" picture behind my intrest in and XML config format for XFree : ) --- Mikael Olenfalk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Apropos this XML config stuff... > > I once thought of creating a rambased filesystem > like devfs, but for XML > configuration files. > > You would then mount the filesystem in let's say > /xetc and when first > mounted a daemon (like devfsd) transforms all (or > those who have been > choosen) configuration files in /etc into a > corresponding XML > configuration file in /xetc. > > Through FAM the daemon could always keep the XML > files in /xetc > up-2-date and because it always knows when updates > are being made to > /xetc it could update the appropriate configuration > file in /etc. > > That way I promised myself, that everybody would be > lucky and that a > transition from a lot of different formats towards > XML would be rather > easy (for the program maintainers). > > The xetc-daemon should be easily extendable through > plugins, that can > bind themselves to different configuration files, > for example > "libxetc-xf86config-4" would inform the daemon that > it can do > transformations from XF86Config-4.xml to > XF86Config-4 and vice versa. > > (please note that the name/path "xetc" was chosen > freely in order to let > me explain it better) > > > > Regards, > > > Mikael Olenfalk > > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > As an intermediate solution, can you write a > tool > > > that would generate > > > XML from a normal config file, and then convert > the > > > XML back into the > > > config file? You'd probably have to do something > > > specialy to handle > > > comments so that users don't lose their comments > in > > > the process. > > > > > > I realize that this isn't ideal, but it gives > you a > > > chance to prove your > > > point (that the ui tools would be simpler, > easier to > > > manage, etc.) > > > without requiring anything from the project. If > > > enough people start > > > using the ui tools, then the project would > probably > > > switch to XML. > > > > > > Actually being a bit of a Linux kernel hacker I > though > > t of creating and XML file system that did this > inside > > the via the file system api.. This file system > would > > have two mount points a standard view and and XML > > view. Depending on the Inode used to open the file > it > > would be sent as XML or as the legacy format.. > > > > Maybe kinda wacko but I thought it was a cool > idea. > > A user space daemon would keep the kernel work > > minimal. Remember I want to generically move all > > config file for all apps to XML not just XFree ... > > > > > > Mike > > > __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Xpert mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://XFree86.Org/mailman/listinfo/xpert
