[Zope3-dev] Re: RFC: ZConfig and other formats for ZCML

Chris Withers chris at simplistix.co.uk
Tue Jan 24 05:16:13 EST 2006


Martin Aspeli wrote:
> 
> Except ZConfig on/off switches are very easy to understand just by reading the
> zope.conf file. That doesn't mean that same syntax would make managing 
> something
> as complex as the type of wiring ZCML is currently used for any clearer, 
> though.

No, but that's the realm of Philipp's proposal, not Jim's ;-)

> I'd be in favour of switching zope.conf to an XML-based format as well, 
> personally.

Well, I'd prefer this to having two config file formats, but I'd prefer 
it less that using .conf for both ;-)

> Commercial development tools typically have pretty decent XML support, and if
> you were to write e.g. a ZCML editor as an Eclipse plug in, being able to rely
> on existing XML components would be much easier. Developers familiar with J2EE,
> .NET etc. are used to XML configuration files, and have editors and tools they
> are comfortable with. Being able to use those same tools (oh, it's just XML) 
> may
> ease the learning curve a little.
> 
> Also, I assume there's a DTD or XML Schema for the ZCML syntax, which would let
> such tools validate and auto-complete ZCML syntax - a valuable way to save time
> if you're not intimately familiar with the syntax.

While I agree with all of this, I've never seen anyone actually do this 
for anything Zope-related so far. ZPT is a prime example where this was 
touted as a good reason to go for an XML-based attribute language, but 
no-one ever developed these tools. As such, I'm tempted to cry "yagni" 
on XML-because-its-easier-for-tools...

Chris

-- 
Simplistix - Content Management, Zope & Python Consulting
            - http://www.simplistix.co.uk


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