Re: starting point: manifests, configs, and the such

Hi Filip,  

On Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 8:11 PM, Filip Maj wrote:

> Ya let's do up a wiki.
>  
> At the "Future of Offline Apps" workshop there was some discussion about
> merging config.xml and cache manifest. Some folks were for it, others were
> against it. My understanding is the people who were against it felt it was
> too much overhead (which I think is a bad argument; minimum case is
> <widget></widget> which is trivial). Also classic web apps need the cache
> manifest but not the other configuration parameters.


I'm for a JSON serialization of the config.xml: they would both use the same data model and semantics.  

We have two options:

  1. we look at what config.xml has, and what the JSON formats that Brian listed have, and find the overlaps/gaps.  
  2. we just take config.xml and make a JSON equiv.  

  
        ____________ App Metadata ________
      |                                |                          |
config.xml                 config.json        future.format
  
(that was supposed to be some ascii art, but I know my email program will butcher it:( … anyway)


> Following the workshop Mike posted up a brief proposal / first pass on how
> a consolidation of these two specs could work [1]. I'd recommend taking a
> gander at that.


I think we should talk to the "Fixing Application Cache Community Group" about [1] and to the HTML WG.   
  
> Also, RIM's web-based SDK (WebWorks) defines an extension
> to config.xml that is basically this suggestion, called the <rim:cache>
> element [2].

Interesting, have not looked at this.  

I'll see if I can get someone from RIM to join this group.  

> As for some of the issues you bring up, Brian, off the top of my head:
>  
> - cache manifest use case. Consider an installable app composed of both
> packaged assets and externally-loaded resources. Perhaps something like a
> first-run database to seed data in an app. Maybe this DB is hosted
> externally. A cache manifest in this case could work well.

> - issues with the current config.xml. Lack of splash screen support is the
> biggest one from a phonegap perspective (although a media/content element
> exists and the spec talks about specifying mime types for these - not sure
> if they are at odds / diff. use cases).

I see, but why is this not done with HTML? Is there performance issues or something?  
> Again, RIM addressed this problem
> in their Web-based SDK as well [3].

Seems like they are defining a mini-layout and styling language. If that grows, then you just end up at HTML again, no? :(   


> [1] http://log.michaelbrooks.ca/2011/11/05/appcache-and-widget-packaging/
> [2]  
> https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/html5/documentation/ww_developing/rim_c
> ache_element_1264486_11.html
> [3]  
> https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/html5/documentation/ww_developing/rim_l
> oadingscreen_element_834680_11.html




--  
Marcos Caceres

Received on Thursday, 24 November 2011 19:38:11 UTC