Re: [Phpwiki-talk] index.php vs config.php

[Joby W. <joby@u.washington.edu>]

A proposal:

My solution is a bit more complicated (because there are four elements), 
but it would involve a lot less parsing and allow for multiple methods 
of configuration.

The current proposal is for three parts:

1) config-dist.php -> Default distribution config settings
2) config-user.php -> Implimentation's config settings
3) Configurator.php -> elements to configure via wiki

The current debate is whether to put the validation elements in 
config-dist.php (as notes in the comments) or Configurator.php (would 
just be code).  Since the validation of settings is really a seperate 
function, I would just make it a fourth file, thus:

Config elements:
1) config-dist.php -> Default distribution config settings
2) config-user.php -> Implimentation's config settings
3) config-valid.php -> defines what is a valid data for a setting 
(authoritative source).

Config applications:
1) Configurator.php -> elements to configure via wiki
2) cli-config.php -> config via command line
n) more options, such as a plugin to a web management app (webmin), a 
GUI app (Gnome or KDE), or perhaps a ncurses app.

config-dist.php and config-user.php would just be the define()s and 
variables set.

config-valid.php would contain classes to validate configuration data 
and the authoritative settings, such as:

-------------------------------------
class valid_bool{
	valid_bool($variable){}
	get_default(){}
	get_current(){}
	get_description(){}
	is_valid($new){
		if(is_bool($new)){
			$this->new = $new;
			return true;
		}
	}
	
	get_new(){
		if(isset($new)){
			return $new;
		} else {
			return $current;
		}
	}
	

}

$reverseDNS = array(
		'type' => 'boolean',
		'define' => true, // true if use define, else variable
		'name' => 'ENABLE_REVERSE_DNS',
		'description' => "If set, we will perform...");

$valid_reverseDNS = new valid_bool($reverseDNS);

-----------------------------------------------

The above is really rough and just for the idea.  In this situation, 
when someone starts a virginwiki and the Configurator.php file is called 
the config-dist.php file would be generated from this config.valid file 
-- thus config-valid.php would be the authoritative source.

Configurator.php and cli-config.php would just know how to use the tools 
presented by config-valid.php and generate an interface.

jbw