Re: [xml] XML for config files

[Liam R E Quin <liam holoweb net>]

> Apache uses a pseudo HTML style, like
>
> <Location /foo>
>   ...
> </Location>

*PLEASE* don't give the world any more pseudo-X format files,
for any X.

If the Apache developers had had a clue when they wrote that
format, they'd have used SGML-compatible syntax (it predates XML)
and would be parseable by machines in a reliable way.

If you ever want your config files to be edited safely, you either
need to write your own editing tools that then won't fit in with
the gazillions of other administration tools, or to persuade other
people to use your parser (better be MIT or LGPL or public domain
and in every major language) or use a standard format so that
other editors will work.

> 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.

Yes.  But a GNOME project should be considering gconf (which hides the
XML from the programmer).  And this is, after all, xml at gnome.org :)

Liam

-- 
Liam Quin - XML Activity Lead, W3C, http://www.w3.org/People/Quin/
Pictures from old books: http://fromoldbooks.org/
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