Re: [Qemu-devel] Re: Storing command line options in images

Avi Kivity
2007-08-10T19:41:39Z

Anthony Liguori wrote:
> Avi Kivity wrote:
>>> This is a big effort but a config file is the right long term solution.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> For which use case? management-full or management-less?
>>
>
> Both. A config file will be useful not just for expressing the
> functionality we have today, but also for describing the guest's
> environment in greater detail. For instance, if you want to support a
> bunch of different kinds of embedded systems, it would be very nice if
> the machine description was a config file instead of hard coded such
> that it was easy to tweak what hardware was present for the particular
> embedded system.
>

Maybe I'm dense today. Which use case is this?

>> A managed system will want to supply arguments out of a central
>> database. For a management-less use case, the config file is a hassle.
>>
>
> As long as all options are still settable via command line (or stdio),
> then it's not at all a hassle.
>

Yes. But if you don't plan to use it, why implement it?

My feeling is that config files are outdated. When used with a gui, you
end up writing silly parsers and stuff and still wrecking things
horribly when the the gui writer's expectations don't match reality.
When used without a gui, they increase the amount of details one has to
remember (where's that config file? I renamed my image, did I remember
to update the config file?). They also make upgrading more difficult.