NEW-CONFIG: WIP

docs/NEW-CONFIG.md

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+New Configuration Format
+========================
+
+Introduction
+============
+
+FVWM's configuration format is line-based.  This means, each line is parsed by
+itself, without any structure.  This means, groups of commands such as
+*functions* have no structural representation, other than to end with a blank
+line.  For example:
+
+```
+DestroyFunc Foo
+AddToFunc   Foo
++ I DoAThing
++ I DoAnotherThing
+
+```
+
+Indeed, because of this, structure has been represented through complexity;
+the **+** command was created to address the fact that there was no grouping,
+and hence the **+** command operates over *functions*, and *decor* commands.
+
+Added to this is the fact that each possible command in FVWM (including how
+that's represented in the configuration file) does its own parsing, leading to
+a complete myriad of differences and duplication.
+
+A new configuration file therefore must accept structural data, and have it
+represented appropriately.  Commands should receive information rather than
+having to parse it itself.
+
+Syntax
+======
+
+**[These are rough ideas for now...]**:
+
+* Still line-based.
+* Structured information can be represented like this:
+
+  ```
+  Function -n func_name -i DoImmediate -c DoClick -h DoHold
+  ```
+
+* Ways of referring to windows:
+
+  ```
+  -t: screen:desk.page
+  -w: n:name, c:class, r:resource|<win_id>|*
+  -g  (global)
+  ```
+
+  Example:
+
+  ```
+  Style -w n:xteddy, c:XTeddy InitialMapCommand Sticky
+  Next -tfoo:1 -w c:XTeddy Echo "Found XTeddy on screen 'foo', desk 1"
+  ```
+
+  Hence, `-t` and `-w` are consistent throughout the entirety of the command
+  set in FVWM.
+
+* Setting options:
+
+  ```
+  -g (global)
+  -t screen:desk.page
+  ```
+
+* Bindings:
+
+  ```
+  -k: key
+  -m: mouse
+  cmd
+  ```
+
+  Example:
+
+  ```
+  bind -k CSM-w Close
+  bind -m 1 Close -t ...
+  ```
+
+* Menus:
+
+  ```
+  -n: name of menu
+  -i: item name of command to run
+  command
+  ```
+
+  Example:
+
+
+  ```
+  menu -n menu_name -i item_name command1
+  menu -n menu_name -i item_name command2
+  menu -n menu_name -i item_name command3
+  ```
+
+Rough Example
+=============
+
+```
+Colorset 1 bg red, fg red
+Colorset 2 bg blue, fg blue
+
+# Make all clients on screen 0, desk 1, red...
+Style -t 0:1 -w* Colorset 1
+
+# Make only XTerm windows on any screen blue
+Style -g -w c:XTerm Colorset 2
+
+# Focus next window on current monitor.
+Focus -t+1
+
+# Focus next window on monitor 1.
+Focus -t1:+1
+
+# Focus third window on monitor 1
+Next -t1:+3 Focus
+```