Re: [PATCH] Keyword hash and Properties as keyword

Garrett Rooney wrote:
> Here's the thing. We haven't actually said we're going to have
> inheritable properties, at least not that I'm aware of.

However, I think it is clear that in-database ACL's _are_ on the menu. What
I've read about this suggests that exactly the same framework that will support
ACL rights inheritance will also be ideal for property inheritance. Of course
that also means that property inheritance will be dependent on the ACL feature
being developed. Consequently, I don't think that the lack of /current/
development efforts on inheritable properties reflects anything more than lack
of agreement on inheritance in general.

>
> I'm all for adding extra features related to keywords, but if they
> require either repository based config options on one side or
> inheritable properties on the other, I'd much rather see those features
> happen first, rather than adding features that are only going to be
> really useful someday in the future when we add these other features.

I think that the important thing to focus on here is that the current keywords
structure is very resistant to _any_ extension. plasma's original patch to
convert keywords from static #define'd values into a hash with printf()-like
formatting is a good way to enable future keyword extension. All I've done is
to provide an additional extension which works now. I could just as easily
split this into two patches: one with plasma's changes and one with my extension.

I will also say that while I think that the 'properties as keyword' feature is
not as general as I'd like it to be, it is still useful as it is. I have a
design already spec'd which will do the following:

1) build/test a Perl module for release to CPAN
2) if #1 is successful, increment the module's $VERSION
3) generate a 'Changes' file from the log entries
4) create a tag for the release
5) make a distro based on the tag
6) optionally upload the module to CPAN

I intend to call it 'release' and it will make it much easier for me to manage
releases. The difference between now and later is that I will have to adjust
the VERSION property of the main .pm file directly; with inherited properties, I
would set it at the project level and all .pm files would get it automatically.

I fully intend to be involved (limited by tuits of course) in making sure that
inherited properties get developed for 2.0.0.

John

-- 
John Peacock
Director of Information Research and Technology
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4720 Boston Way
Lanham, MD 20706
301-459-3366 x.5010
fax 301-429-5747
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscribe@subversion.tigris.org
For additional commands, e-mail: dev-help@subversion.tigris.org