XML DTD for the package configuration file

[Isaac Jones]

"Daan Leijen" <daanleijen at xs4all.nl> writes:

> Hi all,
>
> Although creating package description files in XML
> sounds neat, it also sounds like over-design at this
> stage. Why don't we use Haskell *values* to describe
> the packages? If we describe packages just like ghc-pkg
> is doing, as a Haskell record, we get:
>
> - very simple code for reading and writing those
> (SNIP)

My problem with this is that sure, at first we have a one-line parser,
but if we change the data structure, then we'll have to write bits of
the parser by hand, since read won't work.  (I note that ghc-pkg looks
like it might just use read, but actually has a happy parser).  Also,
the user will have to provide an empty value for fields they don't
care about, right?  That is a little annoying for a simple package.

Is there a tool to parse ghc's package file like a tree I can walk?

Also it is possible that non-haskell tools (like package managers)
will want to muck around with the packages file.  I'm hoping to avoid
this with haskell-config (or whatever), but we might not get
everything right.  Remember that a major goal of this file is a kind
of interoperablity between Haskell and an operating system's package
manager.

I don't know why XML is over-design.  It's pretty easy to use and
there is HaXml.  Do you have any argument against it?

> Just my 2cents,

This is the kinda thing I'm looking for when I asked, "Am I going
horribly wrong".  :)

peace,

isaac