Re: [Hamlib-developer] preferences

[Nate B. <n0...@ne...>]

On Thu, Jan 04, 2001 at 12:00:32AM +0100, Stephane Fillod wrote:
> 
> Let's dust off the drawing board once again: this time, the preference file.
> 
> It's almost obvious, we need a ~/.hamlibrc or /etc/hamlibrc where
> to store preferences on the connected rigs, like rig type, serial port
> parameters, override values (rig modified),etc.
> This way, it's easier for different user application to control rigs,
> ie use Hamlib, off-the-shelf :)

Okay, I'm new and I'll admit to tunnel vision here.  I really wonder if
this isn't a function better left to the applications.  In my view
(admittedly flawed :) I see hamlib as being a virtual radio with as
consistent and simple  API as possible given the myriad of radios and other
devices out there.  I'm not so sure that it's hamlib's duty to maintain
and parse a list of connected radios or even the ports/hosts the
radio(s) are connected.  

IMHO, hamlib shouldn't care what radios are connected as it should be 
the user application that prompts for and maintains this information and
uses it to initialize the connected radio(s) it is asked by the user app to
talk to.  If the radio doesn't exist or if the communications link is
severed or if the wrong radio is selected hamlib should gracefully
report the error and leave it to the user app to prompt the user of the
error and correct it.

I'm thinking that as hamlib becomes network aware, it maybe possible to
connect to it from a remote machine and then control a radio connected
to a third host (yeah, this would be a security hole, but it's too cool
not to do!).  So in this case a preference file might be a hindrance.

I'm not dismissing the idea entirely, but I do believe its use should
likley be as limited as possible.  I guess it comes from my visualizing
hamlib as more of a system type library on the order of libc.

In defense of a library having an rc file GTK+ came to mind with its use
of ~/.gtkrc for themes.  

73, de Nate >>

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