[OpenAFS-devel] Selecting a configuration file format for OpenAFS Services

[u+openafsdev-t07O@chalmers.se]

Hello Simon,

On Sat, May 16, 2009 at 01:06:38PM +0100, Simon Wilkinson wrote:
> >with the syntax of your choice and produce command line options to  
> >give
> >to the binaries.
> 
> I think this is a really bad approach, as it constrains you to  
> exposing every configuration option as a command line option. It may  

What is the problem? Is it harder to parse command line than a file?
It would not _force_ anyone to actually type these options
on the command line.

> be that some configuration options are too complex, or too obscure, to  
> exist on the command line.

What is a problem of defining complex options when needed?

Nothing prevents you to place such options in the configuration file
but this still allows someone else who is not inclined to use
such a file to put all spells on the command line.

This does not impose extra constraints. Taking the configuration options
from the command line has the same generality as expressing matters in
a config file.  Well, there is a size limit of several dozen kilobytes,
but I don't think you are aiming for config files bigger than that.

In an extreme case, if you would not be able to express some configuration
choice without an elaborated syntax, then you may define an appropriate
syntax and still place this data into a command line argument.

To the contrary, mandating a config file (say, to express certain
"complex" options as you suggest) does create unnecessary constraints.

Regards,
Rune