Configuration Validation

[Martin Owens]

2008/9/12 Andrew Sayers <andrew-ubuntu-devel at pileofstuff.org>:
> Could you spell out some specific issues that this would solve?  For
> example, are you looking to avoid two packages overwriting each other's
> files in ~/?  If so, can you give an example of that happening?
>

Examples:

1) I manually edit a config file in /etc which is read during startup
to do something interesting. There is no standard way of checking to
see if the config I've written in valid in format other than seeing if
my computer will still boot or see if there is a specific validation
utility to check for me.
2) I upgrade gnome, the .gnome2/backgrounds.xml file changes in format
between the two versions. the xslt and validators are able to upgrade
the config files without removing settings and my backgrounds.
3) I install an application which uses the same settings file, but
their xsd validation files don't match, enabling packages to be marked
as conflicting protecting corruption.
4) I would be able to use a utility which employs the translation
software to edit any xml or oddly formatted config file in
vi/emacs/nano/gedit in a manner that suits my tastes without causing
errors or problems, say I hate editing ini files but like editing xml
files.

Regards, Martin