Re: [boost] [Property Tree]Problem domain

From: Gennadiy Rozental (gennadiy.rozental_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-04-24 11:10:24

"Rene Rivera" <grafik.list_at_[hidden]> wrote in message 
news:444BEFD4.6030300_at_redshift-software.com...
>> Why would I want to do manual editing if there is a program that does 
>> that?
>
> Because some times there aren't such programs (I said usually above).

This scenario does not apply. We are talking about files that are both human 
and application editable.

> And more often you can't use those programs, for many reasons, like not
> having access to the UI system the run on.

So are you going to change application options and don't even run it to test 
that it works?

>> Why would I choose to subject myself to the possibility of making error, 
>> to
>> the routine work of satisfying particular file format?
>
> It has nothing to do with choice, it's the current situation in many
> cases. And if you are just starting on a *new* program would you write
> the configuration GUI before you write your program?

I would use human-editable only config at first. And switched to 
application-editable only once it's ready.

>> Not saying that it
>> complicate my application development since now it's need to handle both
>> proper format and anything I will manage to type in file.
>
> But not if such a library as the Property Tree library which would do
> that for you.

I doubt it will be flexible enough. And also any such solution would be more 
complecated (eventually - error prone) in comparison with one that doesnt 
need to handle human input.

>> If I edit config
>> file - that mean I don't have a tool to handle this for me. I am not 
>> saying
>> this is completely impossible. But shouldn't be that wide spread need.
>
> OK, I can only surmise that you don't visit the Unix world often.

These days I develop exclusively on *nix systems. I don't have any GUI 
though. So all my config files are human editable.

>>> So I must ask; How can you think this domain is limited?
>>
>> In a big picture of program runtime parameter handling - it's just a 
>> small
>> friction IMO.
>
> Perhaps, but vector is a *very* small fraction of the data structure
> doamin. Yet we still have such a utility.

I think vector should be insulted by your assesment ;) I may disagree also.

Gennadiy