Public SourceMage Discussion List

[Mads Laursen <dossen+sgl AT daimi.au.dk>]

On 18/03/04 19.19, Vladimír Marek wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I spent some time working with input functions used for configuring
> spell, and I am proposing new api:
> 
> http://bugs.sourcemage.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6392
> 
> I would like to hear your criticism (constructive, where possible :) ),
> especially from people writing spells. Also where would you put this
> physically ? libmisc ?

One suggestion, while this is being looked at: I've tried a couple of
Gentoo boxes, and they have something they call USE flags. It's simply
a list of options like 'ipv6', 'x11', and so on, which can be on and
of, and their configuration of packages then check the use flags to
check the configuration.

The best way I think this could be done in sorcery, is if
configuration questions could reference a list of common options.
These would then have a global setting, and the spell could then take
the global setting as a default. Ideally I think it should have four
settings: 'no', 'ask-no', 'ask-yes', and 'yes'. The 'yes' and 'no'
options are obvious, and the 'ask-' counterparts could direct cast to
ask the question, but default one way or the other. So on a server I
might have something like: 'X11: no, IPV6: ask-yes, SSL: yes'.

Another thing to consider is the explanation for the question. There
clearly needs to be a global explanation, for sorcery to use, but one
might wish for there to be an optional added explanation in the spells
(e.g. 'Warning: Enabling this option depends on foo, and takes an
extra hour to compile).

I think this could make it easier to get a consistent setup, while
maintaining the configurability that is the strong point of SMGL.
Perhaps an interface to the global presets could even check for and
inform about the settings and such needed by a preset (e.g. IPv6
support could check that the kernel has IPv6 at least as a module).

Anyway, hope someone can be inspired by my little brainstorm.

/dossen

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