question regarding the configuration implementation

HI all,

Maybe someone could help me out in order to confirm how
I think the configuration file is hanndled.
I believe this is the scheme:

A programm
1- opens the configuration file
2- reads it as a huge octet_string
3- splits is into a list of lines (octet_string)
4- parser the all lines of the list which could be
       a- a comment line (ignore)
       b- an include line (which inserts the to be included as a
                           list of lines again steps 1,2,3)
       c- processes a lines (splits is at the '=', makes a name
                              value pair and adds it in a dictionary)
(NOW ALL CONFFILE READING IS DONE)
5- initializes the needed process
       a- it starts for looking of groups in the dictionary
       b- depending on the group it looks for parameters.

I was wondering if someone could tell me the reason why putting it
in a dictionary first as a very general configuration representation
and later search into it for only those parts needed??

Another question I have is why one would have all configuration tokens
known to each process and depending on the process totally ignore it??
The main reason is maybe that this way a single configuration file
can be used for all, but I guess there is more.


I merely ask this on how to handle module specific configuration parts
for that module API I was talking of last week.

Any help is appreciated,


Harrie

Internet Management Consulting
tel: +39-3474932300
mailto:[email protected]                http ://www.mod-snmp.com/