Re: lynx-dev LYNX: NEED: ability to read lynx.cfg WHILE RUNNING LYNX

[Vlad Harchev]

On Thu, 27 May 1999, Larry W. Virden wrote:

> From: Vlad Harchev <address@hidden>
> 
> > Question - does the lynx.cfg override all compile time, lynxrc, and command
> > line options?  If not, it seems to me having the lynx configuration info,
> > with some indicator of where the particular information was set, would be
> > invaluable for debugging lynx configuration problems...
> 
> > My recent patch does this (if by "where" you mean in which configuraion file
> >and on which line it was set - not the way - via commandline or via 
> >lynx.cfg).
> 
> Now _this_ I can see a use for.  I don't suppose I could talk you into
> considering a reorganization so that what one sees by default is
> 
> 1. Configuration name
> 2. _Brief_ explanation of the configuration - with a link to a more detailed
> explanation

 Since links to those special urls (LYNXSETTINGSTATUS://XYZ) are present only
in body.in (near the description of each setting) IMO it's useless to briefly
describe the setting in that page (since user just seen it).

> 3. Default setting (what does default mean?  Default as in 'from the source
> code', from the cfg file, or what?

 Default value means hardcoded value (the that will be effective if you don't
specify the initializer) - either via userdefs.h (if allowed) or by modifying
C initialiers (IMO nobody does this). Each page says whether this option is
configurable via userdefs.h at compile time.

> 4. Current setting
>
> >  If you (dis)like  this functionality, please say about this on lynx-dev
> >(there were no any reports except Henry's about this).
> 
> As I have said before, many of us don't take a look at large patches unless
> it is a fix for something truly broken (not inconvenient - but 
> non-functional).
> Up until this message, what I _thought_ you were discussing, from your
> descriptions, was a way to hyperlink browse the lynx.cfg descriptions, which
> to me is relatively inconsequential since on my site, _my_ users don't set
> those values - I do.  And I use the lynx.cfg descriptions when setting them.
> 
> However, now seeing that what is REALLY being provided is a hyperlinked
> 'database' of the current process's configuration status, I can see use in
> this.  I am still VERY concerned about the idea of having the same information
> stored in multiple places.  Once we can portably generate this stuff as a
> part of the install process I will be happier <grin>...

 Just FYI, all those files won't be stored elsewhere in filesystem (there
won't be waste of space) - they will be dynamically generated by lynx (as
History page, '=' page, etc). For demonstration purposes I generated those 151
.html file corresponding to the status of each setting on my machine - only 
body.html, {alpha,cat}toc.html are persistent and independant of the lynx
configuration (those 3 'll be shipped with distribution of lynx (but generated
by maintainer) - so no portablity problems arise since no generation
required).
 So this functionality is ready for any platform independant of the presence
of any tools like cpp and sed.

 It's possible to reduce the amount of information presented on this page, by
adding virtual subdirectories to the LYNXSETTINGSTATUS:// url, like

 LYNXSETTINGSTATUS://COLOR/terse
 LYNXSETTINGSTATUS://COLOR/full
 LYNXSETTINGSTATUS://COLOR/trace
 LYNXSETTINGSTATUS://COLOR/defaults

 etc.

>[...] 

 Best regards,
  -Vlad