Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 20:22:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brian Behlendorf <brian@organic.com>
To: new-httpd@apache.org
Subject: internal data format critical to api/config issue
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More smoke to blow.

After reading all the posts on the API/config file issues, I think
we should start with something else: the core internal data
structures. I believe that we should have a config file format which
very closely metaphorically maps the internal structure of Apache.  I
think we've strayed a little from that only because new requirements
have been placed on old code, but I'd like to ask the question: are
people happy with the way the internal data structures are currently
organized?  It seems that some of the problems we have had recently
may have come from stretching the definition of a conn_rec, a
server_rec, command_rec, etc.  Thoughts?  

The answer might be no, the current model is fine and good, but I just
wanted to see what people thought.

If the answer is yes, we should *first* think about changes to the
internal structures, then the module API, then the config file format.
If the answer is no, then move on. :)

I advocate making the basic configuration file as closely
metaphorically mapped to the data structures as possible.  In
addition, we should find a way to support configuration engines - be
it a perl engine, an SNMP MIB, a Java app, etc.

	Brian

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