[Asterisk-Users] PHP Gui for Asterisk (AGI questions)

[Steven Critchfield]

On Mon, 2003-03-17 at 16:22, Chris Albertson wrote:
> I think the way to go with conf. file for Asterisk is XML.
> 
> When I first saw the Asterisk conf files I wondered if Eric 
> Allman had found a new job working on Asterisk. (That's
> a joke for those of you who have had to maintain a sendmail
> installation.  sendmail.cf is the definition of cryptic)  

I'll agree with the comment on sendmail. I did not have any trouble at
all with the conf files for asterisk though.

> Some advantages of XML:
> 
> 1) Parsers and file editors already exist for XML.  Users could
>    edit files with ready made GUI tools, programmers can use
>    XML with XML libraries.  There are even web-based tools for
>    maintaining XML data.  
> 
> 2) Parsers and file editors can perform file validation.  Making
>    it not-possible to save an invalid file.
> 
> 3) (some) Database systems can gobble up XML and spit it back
>    out.  Yes, I think the DBMS idea was resonable for a large
>    installation.  Overkill if less then say a few hundred
>    extensions.  Large sites like to manage phone extension and,
>    extension to physical location maping and other stuff in a DBMS.
> 
> 4) XML (with addition of a style sheet) can be directly displayed
>    in a web browser
> 
> 5) Without a GUI and/or wrb front end the system will remain 
>    only "geek usable".  (Your average "phone guy" doesn't know
>    how to use vi.)
> 
> 6) XML readers can ignor parts of the XML file they don't understand.
>    This allows one file to carry information for multiple readers
>    ad for new additions too the file not to break older readers.

Disadvantages of XML.
1) One more library to track.

2) Have you ever watched a gnome app crap out due to the xml libraries
changing under them? Wanna deal with that in a phone system?

3) Do you want the XML library to be like the DB1 problem where Mark had
to include the source with asterisk to make sure the version was
available? What if this is what causes #2 above.

4) It is annoying to type by hand with vim. (Okay so this is a whine.)

Would think it would be better to write a style sheet to convert to a
simple conf file for asterisk at that point. Then asterisk is not
dependant on the xml library, and since it would then be only
communicating via the normal conf file asterisk requires no changing,
other than maybe the addition of a contrib section for helping make
configuration easier. 

-- 
Steven Critchfield  <critch at basesys.com>