[Xastir-Dev] Re: Switching to XML for Config

[Owen DeLong]

I am not an expert on XML, but I am somewhat familiar with Xastir.

I would like more information on the perceived gains of converting the
config file format to XML.  Frankly, if it's just for the parsing
libraries, I don't see it as advantageous.  In fact, I'd advocate
going to the ISC config file format over XML if that's the main
bennefit.  The ISC config file format has the advantages of:

	1.	Good library support available in C
	2.	Very readable by any C programmer
	3.	Relatively readable by humans
	4.	Although somewhat difficult to create by hand, quite
		easy to edit by hand.
	5.	Easily definable syntax rules (without tautological
		recursions in the definitions).

The ISC format, for those unfamiliar, is used in current BIND and
DHCP configuration files (at least for ISC BIND and ISC DHCPD).  It
is basically a C code-like structure such as:

scope {
	thing parameter [parameter...];
	complex thing {
		thing parameter [parameter...];
	};
};

This is an oversimplification, but, it gets the general point across.

Owen
KB6MER