Xfconf channel/property names

[Brian J. Tarricone]

Mike Massonnet wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Why can't a channel name have a slash?

Because slashes are property tree separators.  The full "canonical" name 
of a property is "/channelname/prop/name/foo".  Having the channel name 
dealt with separately from the property name is mainly a holdover from 
MCS, and a way to make the separation between channels more 'concrete'.

>  Right now, the channel name can't have
> slashes, while the property name can.

Not entirely true.  The property name just uses slashes as a 
hierarchical separator.  I wouldn't consider the slashes as a 'part' of 
the property name.

>  In the way I introduced xfconf in
> xfce4-notes-plugin, I started with the following channel names:
>   * /Xfce4NotesPlugin/PanelPlugin
>   * /Xfce4NotesPlugin/NewWindow
> 
> Actually it isn't a matter how they are named, I already switched to defines in
> the code and with the following naming:
>   * xfce4-notes-plugin_panel-plugin
>   * xfce4-notes-plugin_new-window
> 
> What I am interested in is, how do you name the different channels and
> properties?

A channel is intended to be a logical grouping based around an 
application.  Most applications wouldn't have more than one channel.  If 
you have logical groupings inside an application, that's why the 
property names are hierarchical.

	-brian