Ideas for 4.2: global configuration

[Jasper Huijsmans]

Op ma 01-12-2003, om 03:15 schreef Biju Chacko:
> Can we just post bug reports for modules without support for a system-global
> config file? That will make it easier to track the status.
> 

Ok, if we agree this is a desirable feature. 

> I think we should have an easy way to do global config ie one that doesn't
> involve editing text files. I propose that root preferences == system
> preferences. Basically, if you XFce as root, whatever settings you choose should
> apply globally.
> 

I don't think I like that. How about a script to copy current config
files to system files: xfce_copy_local_to_system_config.sh ;-) 

I think it is acceptable to have system admins copy or edit config files
if that eases implementation for us. Better ideas are of course welcome.

> Another important thing (IMHO) is to start using the base directory spec to
> locate config files, themes and other data.
> 
> http://www.freedesktop.org/Standards/basedir-spec
> 

Yeah, I mentioned that in on of my mails about icon themes. I really
need to look into that.

Both this and the above issue can perhaps be implemented in libxfce4util
or at least facilitated by functions in that library.

> 
> > Related to this is to allow locking down of the configuration. I tried
> > using the XFCE_DISABLE_USER_CONFIG variable for this, but currently the
> > panel crashes when you set it (related to icon themes). Perhaps this
> > could better be done using a system config file or simply the existence
> > of a file ${sysconfdir}/xfce4/disable_user_config. 
> > 
> > It would be nice to support this I think. Allowing specific things to be
> > locked down would require quite a bit of work but an initial
> > all-or-nothing approach should not be too hard (don't popup the settings
> > dialog, disable related menu items and only read system config files).
> 
> I think we should follow the same approach for this: file bug reports for
> modules that do not support this.
> 

I guess this means you agree on the feature ;) 

Anyway, I think it needs a little discussion about how to implement
this. This should also be supported by  libxfce4util.

Something like this could work:

* a single global config file, e.g. ${sysconfdir}/xfce4/lockdown

* plain text 'key = value' system. 

* Initially it could just be one option 'lockdown = yes/no'. Additional
global or module-specific configuration can be added at a later time.

	Jasper