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

On 24 Nov 2011, at 19:37, Marcos Caceres wrote:

> 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)


I don't much see the point in making a config.json file and sticking it in a Zip archive. I think JSON makes more sense when you have something like a widget store and want to get metadata in search results from an API call.

> 
> 
>> 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 21:43:51 UTC