GUI Conf files [was Re: [PLUG] Linux From Scratch (LFS) anyon e]

Anderson, Robert H - MWT Anderson.Robert at menlolog.com
Wed Oct 29 13:54:02 UTC 2003


>-----Original Message-----
>From: Zot O'Connor [mailto:zot at whiteknighthackers.com] 
>Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 3:32 AM
>To: PLUG LIST
>Subject: GUI Conf files [was Re: [PLUG] Linux From Scratch 
>(LFS) anyone]
>
>
>On Tue, 2003-10-28 at 20:08, Carla Schroder wrote:
>> On Tuesday 28 October 2003 7:50 pm, AthlonRob wrote:
>
>> 
>> This is a chronic problem with Red Hat and Mandrake, and probably 
>> other
>> distributions too. Their GUI configs are not front-ends for 
>the text config 
>> files, but interact with the system in their own weird way. 
>In my excellent 
>> opinion, this is way lame. 
>
>Try to write a GUI that can read the linux conf files and then 
>write back to them.
>
>When you are done, let me edit the conf files for 5 
>minutes(*).  I bet you your app will not work (i.e. the conf 
>file will be wrong).
>

It really would depend on the format of the config file. XML files should be
fine for reading/writing by both GUIs and manually, because they can be
validated against a DTD by the parser. So as long as the conf file still
validates after editing manually the GUI should still work. 

>Bastille, Linuxconf, Webmin, (RH|Mandrake|Debian) config, etc. 
>all have to make the config files fit their needs in order to 
>be sure it works. On the other hand most of my config files 
>are filled with commented aborted attempts to get things to work.
>
>Until there is some form of standardization on conf files, and 
>a rigid format to them, this will allows be a problem.  Even 
>ini files have more structure than most /etc/sysconfig files.  
>Probably the way to go is an XML file, since each entry would 
>have meta information about it, thus apps could "upgrade" 
>their understanding about the files.
>

XML can meet this need. The DTD defines the standard for a config file.

>Now I LOVE GUI config programs.  Why?  For *other* people.  I 
>feel like an idiot that I do not know how to add modems, or 
>ISPs, or alternative numbers to friend's/client's/my system 
>without editing 4 or 5 files (or running pppd from a terminal 
>windows).  Make Linux sound oh so powerful when I say "Of 
>course you can dial to earthlink, all you need to do is type 
>"vi ......"  Even windows 98 has the pattern down fairly well.
>
>Or USB/Flash drives.  Windows will just add a letter, and away you go. 
>Linux, you have to jump through some hoops.  Now I can write 
>"su -; mkdir /mnt/flash; mount /mnt/sda1 /mnt/flask" in my 
>sleep but I do not expect my mom to be able to handle that.
>
>With a good XML system, it might add bloat to files, but it 
>could have most *likely* option configured, and then ignored, 
>yet still commented. 
>That way text junkies like myself can edit them.
>

I see you have reached the same conclusion. :)

>
>
>
>(*) 4 of the 5 minutes will be spent re-editing the files as I 
>fix goofs, typos, and the normal complete insanity.
> 
>
>
>-- 
>Zot O'Connor
>
>http://www.ZotConsulting.com
>http://www.WhiteKnightHackers.com
>
>
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