[linux-dvb] Re: channels.conf syntax?

[Emard <emard@softhome.net>]

On Wed, Nov 19, 2003 at 10:29:47AM +0100, Gerd Knorr wrote:
> "Nico" <nsabbi@tiscali.it> writes:
> 
> > please, everything but NOT XML: it's uselessly complicated and
> > implies dependencies to external libs, which are rejected by many
> > projects (e.g. mplayer, as far as I'm concerned).
> 
> Agreed, every f*cking additional library dependency makes software
> maintainance harder, and I absolutely don't see the point in using XML
> for config data.

But you might see the point of integration of e.g. radio, TV and DVB ?

When dealing with DVB, you definitely need extensible and hierarchical 
format. No simple /etc/passwd or /etc/smb.conf database format is sufficient 
for the complexity of media sources we currently have in DVB.

A unified and hierarchical data format able to be accessible in path 
format with simple (library based) calls like:

tune("dvb-s/ZDF")         <-- sat digital tv
tune("dvb-s/Rock FM")     <-- sat digital radio
tune("tv/ZDF")            <-- terrestrial analog tv
tune("fm/Rock FM")        <-- terrestrial analog radio
tune("dvb-c/RAI1")        <-- cable digital tv
tune("ZDF")               <-- let the database decide wether to go over dvb-s or
                              terrestrial tv

tune() will pass station name "ZDF" to XML's XPath extension and immediately 
obtain all data it needs to tune to certain station name. It will know
is it dvb-s, tv, radio or whatever and it will have tuning parameters
in varables.

XML can give this flexibilty with its XPath access mode
implemented into the library, and its not a bad thing to have... 
Also libraries can write updated config file, saving 
you from the fuss with locks, fopen(), fgets() etc...

If you are short with development time for yet-another-ascii database
design and config file parsers for your (integrated) xawtv/dvb/radio 
applications, you might consider XML as great time-saver doing the 
tedious work of writing config parse/update code....

Emard


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