NAME

build-config - convert a subsectional configuration to hash strings

SYNOPSIS

usage: build-config.pl [options] file

OPTIONS

-t string            string identifier
-h                   output usage
-V                   version info

DATA FORMAT

INPUT

Overall

To gain knowledge on how the configuration principle works, you might have a look at the supplied user configuration. It is vital to understand, that the level (declared by $level) and the identifier (declared by $identifier) are essential factors on the creation of keys within a hash string.

Lines beginning with a leading # and no following $ are not essential for the parsing process, but keep the visual and cognitive structure upright.

Lines beginning with a leading # and a following $ are vital to the process of data parsing.

Lines beginning with alphanumeric characters equal key/value entries.

# =============================
# SECTION:          directories
# =============================
# INDEX:                    D.1
# =============================
#
# Description:
# °°°°°°°°°°°°
# Includes paths concerning
# your directories.
#
########
#$level=1
#$identifier=dir
#############

#--------------------
# Path: log directory
#--------------------
log = /var/log

An overall appearance of a section entry and assigned key/value entry.

Structure/Index

# =============================
# SECTION:          directories
# =============================
# INDEX:                    D.1
# =============================

Classifies the section level (SECTION, SUBSECTION, SUBSUBSECTION), the identifier of the section, its index level which consists of the first capitalized character of the section identifer and an integer from 1 - 3.

[ 1 = SECTION,
  2 = SUBSECTION,
  3 = SUBSUBSECTION ]

Section description

# Description:
# °°°°°°°°°°°°
# Includes paths concerning
# your directories.

A short section description.

Internal flags

#$level=1
#$identifier=dir

The flags which are of interest to the build script. $level sets the section level, $identifier sets an alphanumeric identifier.

Entry comment

#--------------------
# Path: log directory
#--------------------

Key/Value

log = /var/log

The value on the left side functions as key, while the the value on the right functions as value.

OUTPUT

Example

An example hash string will look as following:

$Data{config}{dir}{log} = '/var/log';

Parsing process

The parsing process follows a sequentiell logic.

The structure tree

| + Level - 1
| ++ Level - 2
  --------------
| + Level - 1
| ++ Level - 2
| +++ Level - 3
  --------------
| + Level - 1

is valid, while

| + Level - 1
| +++ Level - 3

proves to be invalid.

Ascending in level deepness allows skipping of levels, whereas descending in level deepness requires that accordingly no level is skipped.

Hash string format

A "level 1" hash string:

$Data{config}{dir}{log} = '/var/log';

A "level 2" hash string:

$Data{config}{file}{system}{log} = '/etc/syslog.conf';

A "level 3" hash string:

$Data{config}{file}{system}{user}{entries} = '/etc/master.passwd';

The last two values, in this case 'entries' & '/etc/master.passwd' correspond to the key & value pair, while the leading parts are determined by an internal CONSTANT ( $Data{config} ) and three subsequent level identifiers.

Classification

internal CONSTANT:                  $Data{config}
Level 1 - identifier:               file
Level 2 - identifier:               system
Level 3 - identifier:               user
Key:                                entries
Value:                              /etc/master.passwd