Comments on: I *heart* plain text configuration files http://www.stevestreeting.com/2009/02/03/i-heart-plain-text-configuration-files/ Man bites Ogre Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:49:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Steve http://www.stevestreeting.com/2009/02/03/i-heart-plain-text-configuration-files/comment-page-1/#comment-249465 Steve Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:19:17 +0000 http://www.stevestreeting.com/?p=1366#comment-249465 I'm not a big fan of XML for configuration files. They're harder to read than plain text - sure, if you use a dedicated XML editor then they're easy to collapse & parse, have autocomplete for etc - that's good. But the point of this was that text has a very low overhead and is easy to examine regardless of what tools I have available. The Java servers I used to run *lived* on XML configuration files. Nice idea, came about precisely from the reasons you describe, but it's honestly not easier in practice than plain text, IMO. XML is better than custom registries and data formats though. I’m not a big fan of XML for configuration files. They’re harder to read than plain text – sure, if you use a dedicated XML editor then they’re easy to collapse & parse, have autocomplete for etc – that’s good. But the point of this was that text has a very low overhead and is easy to examine regardless of what tools I have available.

The Java servers I used to run *lived* on XML configuration files. Nice idea, came about precisely from the reasons you describe, but it’s honestly not easier in practice than plain text, IMO. XML is better than custom registries and data formats though.

]]> By: ASpanishGuy http://www.stevestreeting.com/2009/02/03/i-heart-plain-text-configuration-files/comment-page-1/#comment-249429 ASpanishGuy Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:38:29 +0000 http://www.stevestreeting.com/?p=1366#comment-249429 I **LOVE** Markdown to write my docs. XML is not Human readable. Latex is very difficult and easy to forget if you don't write someting for long time. So... Yes, i agree: Plain text files rocks for writing docs and configs and anything... PD: I know that it's a bit off topic, but when i read *heart* and plain text files. I have the need to write something. PD2: Check this program: http://johnmacfarlane.net/pandoc/ I **LOVE** Markdown to write my docs. XML is not Human readable. Latex is very difficult and easy to forget if you don’t write someting for long time. So… Yes, i agree: Plain text files rocks for writing docs and configs and anything…

PD: I know that it’s a bit off topic, but when i read *heart* and plain text files. I have the need to write something.
PD2: Check this program: http://johnmacfarlane.net/pandoc/

]]> By: Paul Evans http://www.stevestreeting.com/2009/02/03/i-heart-plain-text-configuration-files/comment-page-1/#comment-249416 Paul Evans Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:07:16 +0000 http://www.stevestreeting.com/?p=1366#comment-249416 .Net stuff tends to encourage xml configuration and I expect a lot of Windows apps will go that way myself. Course xml is much more verbose than plain text, but it is easy to validate, collapse in to sections, etc. .Net stuff tends to encourage xml configuration and I expect a lot of Windows apps will go that way myself.

Course xml is much more verbose than plain text, but it is easy to validate, collapse in to sections, etc.

]]> By: Steve http://www.stevestreeting.com/2009/02/03/i-heart-plain-text-configuration-files/comment-page-1/#comment-249411 Steve Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:57:36 +0000 http://www.stevestreeting.com/?p=1366#comment-249411 Yeah, that's good for a fast restore back to a previous point, but it's much like a regular backup or image replication (just more convenient). Wasn't really the point of this diatribe :) Yeah, that’s good for a fast restore back to a previous point, but it’s much like a regular backup or image replication (just more convenient). Wasn’t really the point of this diatribe :)

]]> By: Poo Bear http://www.stevestreeting.com/2009/02/03/i-heart-plain-text-configuration-files/comment-page-1/#comment-249408 Poo Bear Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:31:39 +0000 http://www.stevestreeting.com/?p=1366#comment-249408 One neat trick. Set up the physical server to host virtual servers then host your site as a VM. To transfer from one physical machine to another: 1. shut down VM 2. compacted and compressed it 3. transfer it to the new server 4. booted it up again 5. change IP Backing up and restoring is a similar process. One neat trick. Set up the physical server to host virtual servers then host your site as a VM.

To transfer from one physical machine to another:
1. shut down VM
2. compacted and compressed it
3. transfer it to the new server
4. booted it up again
5. change IP

Backing up and restoring is a similar process.

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