Alternative to XML?

[Dave]

I don't know how doable this is because I don't know how heavily intertwined the XML files you use are with the editor.

If you're building a PHP site and you want to output an RSS feed then a typical thing to do is to tell the server to interpret xml files as php using an htaccess file.

This completely kills the FCKeditor that uses xml files for, presumably, settings and stuff.

You should either ditch the xml files as the source for settings or provide a flag in the embed process to tell the program to use an alternate source for the information.

[Michael Osipov]

You are doing oboviously wrong. You have to set an appropriate content type in your PHP script like application/xml or application/rss+xml and don't tamper with the .htaccess. XML should remain application.xml and .php remains what it is set to be in the content type header.

[Artur Formella]

Replying to mosipov:

You are doing oboviously wrong. You have to set an appropriate content type in your PHP script like application/xml or application/rss+xml and don't tamper with the .htaccess. XML should remain application.xml and .php remains what it is set to be in the content type header.

[Dave]

Hi,

Yes you're right, and that is what I did in the end.

Actually it's not 'wrong' it's just not a good idea, but you can't assume that everyone is a knowlegable as you are. We are not all Guru's my friend :0)

My point is that you are building a generic system / application to be used in unknown web applications and environments. Your reliance on such things makes your program less usable by making it less easy to integrate into existing systems.

You can close this ticket again if you like, I just wanted to bring it to your attention.

[Michael Osipov]

I am neither a guru, unfortunately ;-)

The word 'generic' says it pretty much. We cannot and we don't know what you are actually doing with this editor. If we fix this for you, we will break thousands of others. So we have to trade off something.

If you have a better idea than the XML thing, shoot. We are all ears.

[Dave]

I understand that, and also I'm not asking for me - I've found my own way around this problem - I'm just pointing out a slight issue that would make your product better :-)

One way around this problem could be based on the assumption that a developer who is happy to mess around with .htaccess files probably doesn't mind getting his hands a bit dirty. So you keep your XML as the default method (so no-one's currently installed versions break) but you have a flag or parameter that can be set in the embed code (but doesn't have to be) where the user can supply some sort of alternative.

What alternatives? Well there's lots of possibilities, here's a few (these might not be pretty, they are just examples):

1) You could have an include file to a javascript array of all the settings (ugly I know) 2) Your embed flag could just say "use generic" and the settings are stored internally / all the defaults are used. 3) You could still pass in an xml file (file with a doctype 'XML') but call it .php or .hamster or whatever suited the administrator. 4) You could just use a different but standard file type like a .ini or .csv file. 5) ... I'm going to need something stronger than coffee to come up with anything else off the top of my head :-P

In the end, it might be more effort than it's worth... but then you've got the best product available, the only way to stay the best is to keep pushing it.

[Michael Osipov]

Wait until version 3, maybe your problem might go away. I'll keep this ticket open, maybe somone will catch it up.

[Dave]

Fair enough chief, nice discussing it with you - keep up the good work :0)

[Alfonso Martínez de Lizarrondo]

Replying to somerandomguy:

3) You could still pass in an xml file (file with a doctype 'XML') but call it .php or .hamster or whatever suited the administrator.

That's the way that it works right now.

Adding a "generic parser for any kind of configuration file" is just impossible.

[Dave]

Ok I give up - I feel like I've just gone straight back to the beginning of this conversation with a new person.

But alfonsoml, for future reference it might be nice if you actually read the postings carefully before slapping them with an invalid.

I'm a developer, name me one developer who would suggest something as rediculous as a "generic parser for any kind of configuration file".