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Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 23:54:10 +0100
From: Martin Kraemer <martin.kraemer@mch.sni.de>
To: new-httpd@apache.org
Subject: Re: FW: general/3563: I want to allow the definition and use of
 macros within runtime configuration files.
References: <199812211656.RAA26711@blonville.caii>
 <Pine.LNX.3.96dg4.981221131237.26231R-100000@twinlark.arctic.org>
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 from Dean Gaudet on Mon, Dec 21, 1998 at 01:55:25PM -0800
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Hmmm, I agree with Fabien that use of m4 is (powerful but) dangerous.
Yes, Dean, one can redefine the quote char (but only to ONE char
in AT&T Unix derivatives like SVR4). And the "native" m4 variants are
unable to define a m4-prefix to all keywords (which makes any occurrences
of any of the keywords in the input stream a PITA to deal with).
Yes, you can redefine/undefine the keywords as well. But how much
redefining will people tolerate for ONE simple substitution? I tried
both the m4 and the cpp approaches with the fvwm config files, and
they both just suck for the purpose of munching a general purpose
configuration file. Think of
  <FilesMatch /httpd/`include'/*.h>
just to avoid include to be treated as a keyword! "@$%&/(*'*#

No, I think Fabien's solution is very neat, and his examples show
solutions for everyday's problems.

+1 by concept (I often would have loved to have this feature);
but of course I'd like to evaluate it before I make a final decision.

    Martin
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