Provided by: libconfig-model-perl_2.117-1_all 
NAME
Config::Model::Manual::ModelCreationIntroduction - Introduction to model creation with
Config::Model
VERSION
version 2.117
Introduction
This page describes how to write a simple configuration model. Creation of more complex
models are described in Creating a model with advanced features.
Note that this document shows a lot of Perl data structure to highlight the content of a
model. A Perl data structure is very similar to a JSON structure. The only thing you need
to know are:
• Curly braces "{ ... }" contain a dictionary of key, value pairs (a "hash" in Perl
land))
• Square brackets "[ ... ]" contain a list of items ("array" or "list" in Perl land)
Some definitions
configuration file
Text file where configuration data are stored. This configuration file is used by an
application -- the target application
configuration tree
The semantic content of the configuration file stored in a tree representation
configuration model
Structure and constraints of the configuration tree. Like a schema for the
configuration tree
target application
The application that uses the configuration file. The application can be of type
"system" (i.e. the configuration file is located in "/etc"), "user" (i.e. the
configuration file is located in a user directory like "~/.config") or "application"
(the configuration file is in or below the current directory)
end user
User of the target application
application developer
Target application developer
model developer
People developing the configuration model. Not necessarily the application developer
What is a configuration tree?
Most configuration files are actually organized mostly as a tree structure. Depending on
the syntax of the file, this structure may be obvious to see (e.g. for XML, Apache) or not
so obvious ("Xorg" syntax, INI syntax).
For some files like "approx.conf" or "adduser.conf", this tree structure is quite flat.
It looks much like a rake than a tree, but still, it's a tree.
For instance, this "approx.conf":
$pdiffs 1
$max_wait 14
debian http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian
can have this tree representation:
root
|--pdiff=1
|--max_wait=14
`--distrib(debian)=http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian
Other configuration files like "apache2.conf" or "xorg.conf" have a structure that look
more like a tree.
For instance, consider this "xorg.conf" snippet:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "True"
Option "DynamicTwinView" "True"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection
Knowing that Xorg.conf can have several Device or Screen sections identified by their
"Identifiers", the configuration can be represented in this tree as:
root
|--Device(Device0)
| `--Driver=nvidia
`--Screen(Screen0)
|--Device=Device0
|--Option
| |--AllowGLXWithComposite=True
| `--DynamicTwinView=True
`--Display
`--Depth=24
One may argue that some "Xorg" parameter refer to others (i.e."Device" and "Monitor" value
in "Screen" section) and so they cannot be represented as a tree. That's right, there are
some more complex relations that are added to the tree structure. This will be covered in
more details when dealing with complex models.
In some other case, the structure of a tree is not fixed. For instance, "Device" options
in "Xorg.conf" are different depending on the value of the "Device Driver". In this case,
the structure of the configuration tree must be adapted (morphed) depending on a parameter
value.
Just like XML data can have Schema to validate their content, the configuration tree
structure needs to have its own schema to validate its content. Since the tree structure
cannot be represented as a static tree without reference, XML like schema are not enough
to validate configuration data.
Config::Model provides a kind of schema for configuration data that takes care of the
cross references mentioned above and of the dynamic nature of the configuration tree
required for "Xorg" (and others).
What is a model?
A configuration model defines the configuration tree structure:
• A model defines one or more configuration class
• At least one class is required to define the configuration tree root
• Each class contains several elements. An element can be:
• A leaf to represent one configuration parameter
• A list of hash of leaves to represent several parameter
• A node to hold a node of a configuration tree
• A list or hash of nodes
These basic relations enable to define the main parts of a configuration tree.
If we refer to the "approx.conf" example mentioned above, one only class is required
(let's say the "Approx" class). This class must contain (see approx.conf man page):
• A boolean leaf for "pdiff" (1 if not specified)
• An integer leaf for "max_wait" (10 seconds unless specified otherwise)
• A hash of string leaves for "distrib" (no default).
A configuration model is stored this way by Config::Model:
{
name => 'Approx',
element => [
pdiffs => {
type => 'leaf',
value_type => 'boolean',
upstream_default => '1'
},
max_wait => {
type => 'leaf',
value_type => 'integer',
upstream_default => '10'
},
distributions'=> {
type => 'hash',
index_type => 'string' ,
cargo => {
value_type => 'uniline',
type => 'leaf',
},
}
]
}
The "Xorg" example leads to a slightly more complex model with several classes:
• "Xorg" (root class)
• "Xorg::Device"
• "Xorg::Screen"
• "Xorg::Screen::Option" for the Screen options
• "Xorg::Screen::Display" for the"Display" subsection
The root class is declared this way:
{
name => 'Xorg',
element => [
Device => {
type => 'hash',
index_type => 'string'
cargo => {
type => 'node',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Device'
},
},
Screen => {
type => 'hash',
index_type => 'string'
cargo => {
type => 'node',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Screen'
},
},
]
}
The"Xorg::Screen" class is:
{
name => 'Xorg::Screen',
element => [
Device => {
type' => 'leaf',
value_type => 'uniline',
},
Display => {
type => 'hash',
index_type => 'integer'
cargo => {
type => 'node',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Screen::Display'
},
}
Option => {
type => 'node',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Screen::Option'
},
]
}
It's now time to detail how the elements of a class are constructed.
Model analysis
To define the required configuration classes, you should read the documentation of the
target application to :
• Find the structure of the configuration tree
• Identify configuration parameters, their constraints and relations
Last but not least, you should also find several valid examples of your application
configuration. These examples can be used as non-regression tests and to verify that the
application documentation was understood.
Model declaration
Configuration class declaration
Since writing the data structure shown below is not fun (even with Perl), you are
encouraged to use the model editor provided by cme using "cme meta edit" command (provided
by Config::Model::Itself). This commands provides a GUI to create or update your model.
When saving, "cme" writes the data structure in the correct directory.
Configuration class declaration (the hard way)
In summary, configuration documentation is translated in a format usable by Config::Model:
• The structure is translated into configuration classes
• Configuration parameters are translated into elements
• Constraints are translated into element attributes
All models files must be written in a specific directory. For instance, for model "Xorg",
you must create "./lib/Config/Model/models/Xorg.pl". Other classes like "Xorg::Screen" can
be stored in their own file "./lib/Config/Model/models/Xorg/Screen.pl" or included in
"Xorg.pl"
A model file is a Perl file containing an array for hash ref. Each Hash ref contains a
class declaration:
[ { name => 'Xorg', ... } , { name => 'Xorg::Screen', ... } ] ;
A class can have the following parameters:
• name: mandatory name of the class
• class_description: Description of the configuration class.
• generated_by: Mention with a descriptive string if this class was generated by a
program. This parameter is currently reserved for "Config::Model::Itself" model
editor.
• include: Include element description from another class.
For more details, see "Configuration_Model" in Config::Model.
For instance:
$ cat lib/Config/Model/models/Xorg.pl
[
{
name => 'Xorg',
class_description => 'Top level Xorg configuration.',
include => [ 'Xorg::ConfigDir'],
element => [
Files => {
type => 'node',
description => 'File pathnames',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Files'
},
# snip
]
},
{
name => 'Xorg::DRI',
element => [
Mode => {
type => 'leaf',
value_type => 'uniline',
description => 'DRI mode, usually set to 0666'
}
]
}
];
Common attributes for all elements
This first set of attributes helps the user by providing guidance (with "level" and
"status") and documentation ("summary" and "description").
All elements (simple or complex) can have the following attributes:
• "description": full length description of the attribute
• "summary": one line summary of the above description
• "level": is "important", "normal" or "hidden". The level is used to set how
configuration data is presented to the user in browsing mode. Important elements are
shown to the user no matter what. hidden elements are explained with the warp notion.
• "status": is "obsolete", "deprecated" or "standard" (default). Warnings are shown when
using a deprecated element and an exception is raised when an obsolete element is
used.
See "Configuration_class" in Config::Model for details.
Leaf elements
Leaf element is the most common type to represent configuration data. A leaf element
represents a specific configuration parameter.
In more details, a leaf element have the following attributes (See
"Value_model_declaration" in Config::Model::Value doc):
type
Set to "leaf" (mandatory)
value_type
Either "boolean", "integer", "number", "enum", "string", "uniline" (i.e. a string
without "\n") (mandatory)
min Minimum value (for "integer" or "number")
max Maximum value (for "integer" or "number")
choice
Possible values for an enum
mandatory
Whether the value is mandatory or not
default
Default value that must be written in the configuration file
upstream_default
Default value that is known by the target application and thus does not need to be
written in the configuration file.
To know which attributes to use, you should read the documentation of the target
application.
For instance, "AddressFamily" parameter (sshd_config(5)) is specified with: Specifies
which address family should be used by sshd(8). Valid arguments are "any", "inet" (use
IPv4 only), or "inet6" (use IPv6 only). The default is "any".
For Config::Model, "AddressFamily" is a type "leaf" element, value_type "enum" and the
application falls back to "any" if this parameter is left blank in "sshd_config" file.
Thus the model of this element is :
AddressFamily => {
type => 'leaf',
value_type => 'enum',
upstream_default => 'any',
description => 'Specifies which address family should be used by sshd(8).',
choice => [ 'any', 'inet', 'inet6' ]
}
Simple list or hash element
Some configuration parameters are in fact a list or a hash of parameters. For instance,
"approx.conf" can feature a list of remote repositories:
# remote repositories
debian http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian
multimedia http://www.debian-multimedia.org
These repositorie URLs must be stored as a hash where the key is debian or multimedia and
the associated value is a URL. But this hash must have something which is not explicit in
"approx.conf" file: a parameter name. Approx man page mentions that: The name/value pairs
[not beginning with '$' are used to map distribution names to remote repositories.. So
let's use "distribution" as a parameter name.
The example is stored this way in the configuration tree:
root
|--distribution(debian)=http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian
`--distribution(multimedia)=http://www.debian-multimedia.org
The model needs to declare that "distribution" is:
• a type "hash" parameter
• the hash key is a string
• the values of the hash are of type "leaf" and value_type "uniline"
distribution => {
type => 'hash',
index_type => 'string',
cargo => {
type => 'leaf',
value_type => 'uniline',
},
summary => 'remote repositories',
description => 'The other name/value pairs are ...',
}
For more details on list and hash elements, see hash or list model declaration man page.
node element
A node element is necessary if the configuration file has more than a list of variable. In
this case, the tree is deeper than a rake and a node element if necessary to provide a new
node within the tree.
In the Xorg example above, the options of "Xorg::Screen" need their own sub-branch in the
tree:
Screen(Screen0)
`--Option
|--AllowGLXWithComposite=True
`--DynamicTwinView=True
For this, a new dedicated class is necessary>Xorg::Screen::Option> (see its declaration
above). This new class must be tied to the Screen class with a node element.
A node element has the following parameters:
• type (set to "node")
• the name of the configuration class name (>config_class_name>)
So the "Option" node element is declared with:
Option => {
type => 'node',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Screen::Option'
},
Hash or list of nodes
Some configuration files can feature a set of rather complex configuration entities. For
instance "Xorg.pl" can feature several Screen or Device definitions. These definitions are
identified by the "Identifier" parameter:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:3:0:1"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
DefaultDepth 24
EndSection
The Xorg configuration tree features 2 elements (Screen and Device) that use the
Identifier parameters as hash keys:
root
|--Device(Device0)
| |--Driver=nvidia
| `--BusId=PCI:3:0:1
`--Screen(Screen0)
|--Device=Device0
`--DefaultDepth=24
And the Xorg model must define these 2 parameters as "hash". The cargo of this hash is of
type "node" and refers to 2 different configuration classes, one for "Device"
("Xorg::Device") and one for "Screen" ("Xorg::Screen"):
{
name => 'Xorg',
element => [
Device => {
type => 'hash',
index_type => 'string'
cargo => {
type => 'node',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Device'
},
},
Screen => {
type => 'hash',
index_type => 'string'
cargo => {
type => 'node',
config_class_name => 'Xorg::Screen'
},
},
]
}
Configuration wizard
Both Perl/Tk and Curses interfaces feature a configuration wizard generated from a
configuration model.
The wizard works by exploring the configuration tree and stopping on each important
element and on each error (mostly missing mandatory parameter).
When designing a model, you have to ponder for each element:
• The importance level of the parameter (important, normal or hidden). "level" is used
to set how configuration data is presented to the user in wizard and browsing mode.
Important elements are shown in the wizard. hidden elements are explained with the
warp notion in Creating a model with advanced features.
Reading configuration files
Once the model is specified, Config::Model can generate a nice user interface, but there's
still no way to load or write the configuration file.
For Config::Model to read the file, the model designer must declare in the model how to
read and write the file (the read/write backend).
The read/write functionality is provided by a class inheriting
"Config::Model::Backend::Any" class like "Config::Model::Backend::IniFile"
The name of the backend parameter must match the backend class name without
"Config::Model::Backend". As syntactic sugar, lower case backend name are transformed into
upper case to match the backend class name.
E.g.
Yaml -> Config::Model::Backend::Yaml
plain_file -> Config::Model::Backend::PlainFile
ini_file -> Config::Model::Backend::IniFile
With the backend name, the following parameters must be defined:
config_dir
The configuration directory
file
Config file name (optional). defaults to "<config_class_name>.[pl|ini|cds]"
rw_config => { backend => 'ini_file' ,
config_dir => '/etc/cfg_dir',
file => 'cfg_file.ini',
},
See Config::Model::Backend::IniFile for details
Note that these parameters can also be set with the graphical configuration model editor
("cme meta edit").
"rw_config" can also have custom parameters that are passed verbatim to
"Config::Model::Backend::Foo" methods:
rw_config => {
backend => 'my_backend',
config_dir => '/etc/cfg_dir',
my_param => 'my_value',
}
This "Config::Model::Backend::MyBackend" class is expected to inherit
Config::Model::Backend::Any and provide the following methods:
new
read
write
Their signatures are explained in Config::Model::BackendMgr doc on plugin backends
SEE ALSO
• More complex models: Config::Model::Manual::ModelCreationAdvanced
• Config::Model::Manual::ModelForUpgrade: Writing a model for configuration upgrades
• Configuration upgrades within Debian packages
<http://wiki.debian.org/PackageConfigUpgrade>
Feedback welcome
Feel free to send comments and suggestion about this page at
config-model-users at lists dot sourceforge dot net.
AUTHORS
Dominique Dumont <ddumont at cpan.org>
AUTHOR
Dominique Dumont
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is Copyright (c) 2005-2018 by Dominique Dumont.
This is free software, licensed under:
The GNU Lesser General Public License, Version 2.1, February 1999
perl v5.26.1 Config::Model::Manual::ModelCreationIntroduction(3pm)