Am 27.07.2010 02:29, schrieb Steven D'Aprano:
On Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:09:09 am Albert-Jan Roskam wrote:
Hi,

I am making a data processing program that will use a configuration
file. The file should contain information about: (1) source files
used, (2) (intermediate) output files, (3) used parameters/estimation
methods (4) manual data edits + datetime stamp + user name . I'd like
to store this config file in xml.
Why XML?

Even though XML is plain text, it is *not* a human writable format,
except perhaps for the simplest data. XML is one of those things which
has become "the in-thing" and is used in all sorts of inappropriate
places just because "everybody else uses XML". Even *supporters* of XML
describe themselves as having "drunk the XML Kool-Aid".

(For those who are unaware, "drinking the Kool-Aid" refers to the
Reverend Jim Jones mass murder-suicide back in the 70s, when nearly a
thousand cult members drank poison-laced Kool-Aid.)

Be careful spreading information you didn't research thoroughly yourself.
This world is upside-down.

Andreas

--
https://code.launchpad.net/~a-roehler/python-mode
https://code.launchpad.net/s-x-emacs-werkstatt/


XML is extremely verbose and inefficient. It has its uses, but the best
advice I can give is, don't use XML unless you need to communicate with
something that expects XML, or unless your data is so complex that you
need XML.

Some alternatives:

If you're using Python 2.6 or better, you might consider the plistlib
module for a thin wrapper around XML.

JSON is often considered a more friendly format. Some people prefer YAML
over JSON, although YAML isn't in the standard library.

If your data is in the form option:value, then ConfigParser
(Windows-style ini files) may be all you need.

However, I've never created
something like this before. Is this a suitable format, and, if so,
what would the elementtree look like?
You tell us, it's your data :)


Should I just use 'config'  or
something similar as root, and the information elements 1 through 3
as child elements? And should the manual edits be stored as an
element 'edit' with various attributes (the edit itself, the time
stamp, etc.)?
How would you store the data in a Python class? Design your class first.




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