Investigating ConfiX as a potential configuration framework for DME and all the added tools

[pzaino]

Background

The whole DME Engine will require some Configuration Framework capable of handling multiple tools with a consistent UI.
Before we start thinking of designing one, I think it would be good to have a look at whatever is already available for RISC OS.

So my proposal is to have a look at ConfiX (and its API) to understand if it's the right tool to use to configure the whole DME tools.

What we need is a graphic tool capable of generating a configuration file for each piece we'll develop add. It's not important if it can configure everything using a single instance of itself. I think it's probably better to have multiple instance one per each tool. However it's important it provides a consistent experience for a user (especially for new users).

I don't think we need to contact the Author given that the tool is available for free download and use and the author is invested in the RISC OS world. The tool was original recommended by Andrew R. from ROD. However we may want to verify that we are not violating the distribution license and that it could be used in ROOL if ROOL wants to tae the code from this repo.

Definition of Done

• Task proposed
• ConfiX being investigated and API tested
• We have reached a decision about it

[pzaino]

@RISC-OS-Community/code-reviews-team who would like to take this task?

The goal is to produce some BBC BASIC and C99 code that loads configuration files produced by ConfiX.

There might be also an API to understand.

[skymandr]

@RISC-OS-Community/code-reviews-team who would like to take this task?

Shouldn't that be @RISC-OS-Community/dev-team ? ;)

The goal is to produce some BBC BASIC and C99 code that loads configuration files produced by ConfiX.

Is that the goal of this task, or just a proposed way of testing the format? If it is a deliverable, I think it should be in the DoD, but perhaps that is for the next task, that is to say the task that this discussion will lead to?

[pzaino]

Good point,
so I think the goals of this discussion are:

1. Identify who of us could work of this research task to understand if ConfiX is the right tool for the job
2. What should be the outcome of this research

The goals for the research effort would be:

1. Generate some modelling code in BBC BASIC and C99 to show how convenient is to use ConfiX from a configuration "consumer" stand point (aka our own code that will be either a DME itself or one of the Add-On etc.)
2. Generate some modelling code in BBC BASIC and C99 to show how convenient is to use ConfiX from a configuration "producer" stand point (aka whatever ConfiX requires to create a configuration UI that will generate a configuration file)

All the 2 goals for the research effort are for us to understand ConfiX and so they are not necessarily and end-user deliverable. Just modelling code.

We can create a repo for such a research that we could then use later on as a deliverable for another project for this community that I have in mind (which is a collection of coding tutorials on RISC OS, to host here for people to use in their own ideas).

How that sounds?

[pzaino]

ok so no more comments on this one? @skymandr / @InteractiveYelp if none of you can take this task I'll have to take it, any last words? :)