I shall play the devil's advocate and defend the use of XML files. Not a role I completley believ in but some one needs to do it :)
On 7/5/07, Bob La Quey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On my Ubuntu system [EMAIL PROTECTED]:~/indivo-3.0$ locate .xml | wc -l 7837 That is a lot of files. Mostly config files of some sort.
Maybe not mostly config files.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~/indivo-3.0$ locate .xml | grep share/foomatic/db | wc -l 2696 foomatic is used for printer configuration
The files contain other info see [1] below. These files are certainly readable. As far as the code needed to use them, very good validating parsers are available for both the SAX and DOM mechanisms. One does not need to write _ny_ code for parsing. All one must do is learn to use the existing code.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~/indivo-3.0$ locate .xml | grep ubuntu | wc -l 950
My bad. Only one of these is a config file. The rest are docs (in about 60 languages.)
indivo is a large client/server app written in Java and PHP [EMAIL PROTECTED]:~/indivo-3.0$ locate .xml | grep indivo | wc -l 942
A beter estimate is [EMAIL PROTECTED]:/usr/local/maven-2.0.7$ locate xml | grep indivo | grep pom.xml | grep -v .svn | wc -l 86 Maven is a software project management and comprehension tool. Based on the concept of a project object model (POM), Maven can manage a project's build, reporting and documentation from a central piece of information. The pom schema is defined at http://maven.apache.org/ref/2.0.4/maven-model/maven.html Clearly, for better or worse, Maven is attempting to deal with much more of the software development puzzle than just configuration. Thus the need for a more descriptive power than is provided by name=value. This appears to be one major use of XML. One view is that their is a need for a central repository for all of the metadata and documentation associated with a project. Config files are just a small part of that. XML has more expressive power than name=value, well tested validating parsers are available, so it becomes a natural means to accumulate this project data. BobLQ "The emperor is wearing fancier clothes these days" [1] Example of foomatic printer xml file. I find this readable enough. It is pretty printed and properly indendted. You need to use a non proportional font on your viewer or it may look very ugly. <printer id="printer/Samsung-CLP-600"> <make>Samsung</make> <model>CLP-600</model> <mechanism> <laser/> <color/> <resolution> <dpi> <x>1200</x> <y>1200</y> </dpi> </resolution> <margins> <general> <unit>mm</unit> <top>4.23164</top> <bottom>4.23164</bottom> <left>3.175</left> <right>3.175</right> </general> </margins> <consumables> <comments> <en> Toner Black (4000 prints) - $80 Toner Yellow (4000 prints) - $110 Toner Magenta (4000 prints) - $110 Toner Cyan (4000 prints) - $110 Transfer Belt (35000 prints) - $47 </en> </comments> <partno>CLP-K600A</partno> <partno>CLP-Y600A</partno> <partno>CLP-M600A</partno> <partno>CLP-C600A</partno> <partno>CLP-T600A</partno> </consumables> </mechanism> <url>http://www.samsung.com/Products/PrinterandMultifunction/ColorLaserPrinters/CLP_600NXAA.asp</url> <lang> <proprietary/> <!--no pjl--><!--No "text"?--> </lang> <autodetect> </autodetect> <functionality>B</functionality> <driver>foo2qpdl</driver> <!--not "unverified"--><!--no "contrib_url"--> <comments> <en> The Samsung CLP-600 is a networked color laser printer with a 2007 street price of $450 USD. This printer is supported by the foo2qpdl open software printer driver. </en> </comments> "/usr/share/foomatic/db/source/printer/Samsung-CLP-600.xml" [readonly] 54L, 1355C 1,1 Top -- KPLUG-List@kernel-panic.org http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
