Config::Model provides a framework to help in validating the semantic content of configuration data.

Config::Model can also be used to provide a semantic check of options of a complex program like mplayer or transcode.

How does this work ?

Using this project, a typical configuration validation tool will be made of 3 parts :

- The user interface
- The validation engine which is in charge of validating all the configuration information provided by the user.
- The storage facility that store the configuration information

Dont we already have some configuration validation tools ?

Youre probably thinking of tools like webmin. Yes, these tools exist and work fine, but they have their set of drawbacks.

Usually, the validation of configuration data is done with a script which performs semantic validation and often ends up being quite complex (e.g. 2500 lines for Debians xserver-xorg.config script which handles xorg.conf file).

In most cases, the configuration model is expressed in instructions (whatever programming language is used) and interspersed with a lot of processing to handle the actual configuration data.

Whats the advantage of this project ?

The Config::Model projects provide a way to get a validation engine where the configuration model is completely separated from the actual processing instruction.

The configuration model is expressed in a declarative form (i.e. a Perl data structure) which is always easier to maintain than a lot of code.

The declaration specifies:

· the structure of the configuration data (which can be queried by generic user interfaces)
· the properties of each element (boundaries, check, integer or string, enum like type ...)
· the default values of parameters (if any)
· mandatory parameters
· the targeted audience (intermediate, advance, master)
· on-line help (for ach parameter or value of parameter)
· the level of expertise of each parameter (to hide expert parameters from newbie eyes)

So, in the end:

· maintenance and evolution of the configuration content is easier
· user will see a *common* interface for *all* programs using this project.
· user will not see advanced parameters
· upgrade of configuration data is easier and sanity check is performed
· audit of configuration is possible to check what was modified by the user compat

Whats New in This Release:

· This release provides some bugfixes and some new features.
· It has the ability to preserve the order of the keys of a hash element (ordered hash).
· It has the ability to dump and read configuration data as a Perl data structure.