sane config files [was [sane-devel] Infrared channel]]

[m. allan noah]

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005, Julien BLACHE wrote:

> "m. allan noah" <anoah@pfeiffer.edu> wrote:
>
>> let me ask this: how many of the config files that must be kept are
>> kept because they have scanner-specific information in them, as
>> opposed to backend-specific information?
>>
>> ie: how many times does a conf file say:
>>
>> 'for any scanners that use this backend, enable feature x"
>>
>> v/s
>>
>> 'for this particular model of scanner, enable feature x'
>>
>> v/s
>>
>> 'for this particular serial number, enable feature x'
>>
>> the reason i ask is that it would seem, based on the name, that only
>> the first example really belongs in 'backend.conf', where the others
>> belong in a per-model or per-SN file?
>
> Don't you think that at least item 1 and 2 can be detected by the
> backend ?

yes for #1, no for #2 and #3. since some times the same 'model' is 
actually 2 different pieces of hardware. but, i am not familiar with 
every single backend, so i dont know how much this happens.

  (the serial number might not be accessible by the backend,
> sure).

if the serial number cant be gotten by the backend, then who can? the 
backend should know how if it is possible at all.

  There's still the possibility that a vendor will slightly
> modify the hardware and not anything else, making it impossible to
> guess which version of the hardware we're talking to.

right, which is why #2 above cant automatically be in the backend.

>
> If we cannot get rid of the config files (there's some experience like
> the same product ID applying to slightly different hardware), we can
> at least have a look at them as they are now, see if there are options
> that can be removed, and try to come up with a unified format.

agreed, though i believe that most users think in terms of the label on 
the scanner not backends, so any config that is required might end up 
being more scanner specific.

allan

>
> JB.
>
>

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