Re: [xml] XML for config files

[Jason Valenzuela <jvalenzuela dspfl com>]

Richard W.M. Jones wrote:
> Rick Jones wrote:
> > Sorry, I was being cranky there.
> > > But, in my experience, XML config files are harder for sysadmins to 
> > > edit than simple text files.  I guess if they are only / mostly going 
> > > to be edited by programs rather than people then they are OK.
> >
> > I do rather like their heirarchical nature though - is there a simple 
> > text file analogue?
>
> Apache uses a pseudo HTML style, like
>
> <Location /foo>
>  ...
> </Location>
>
> and DOS .ini files use [section] for two level hierarchies.  But I guess 
> most config files don't have or need hierarchies, and if you do, then 
> XML would be the way to go.

Cranky or not, I appreciate the input. Your initial response did remind 
me of a rather ungainly XML configuration file for some IP phones I use. 
OTOH my configuration file isn't too large, around 12 elements minimum. 
Hopefully it isn't too hard to edit. However, it can indeed benefit from 
a heirarchial layout. Aside from that, the validation against a 
statically compiled DTD appealed to me, as opposed to cooking up my own 
parser(wheel reinvention).

Thanks,
Jason Valenzuela