[glue-wg] Problems in using CSV for enumerations, some solutions

[Florido Paganelli]

Hi all,

Today, while fixing the enumerations as decided last time, I found myself facing two problems:


Problem 1) how to communicate what-obsoletes-what or what-is-recommended-instead. In short, how does a consumer find out what to use if a string she's using is deprecated.

I'll give you an example with these records:

IntefaceName_t  | Description                                 |  Status     | 
=============================================================================
org.globus.gram	| job submission service for Globus	      | Recommended |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GRAM5  	        | job submission service for Globus version   | Deprecated  |
                | 5.x (GRAM5)	                              |             |

Problem: I search for GRAM5, i see is deprecated, how do I find out what to use instead?

Solution: My solution will be to enrich the CSV this way:

IntefaceName_t  | Description                                 | Status      | Recommended     | Deprecates |
============================================================================================================
org.globus.gram	| job submission service for Globus	      | Recommended |                 | GRAM5      |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GRAM5  	        | job submission service for Globus version   | Deprecated  | org.globus.gram |            |
                |  5.x (GRAM5)	                              |             |                 |            |

that is, adding two fields (that can be multilined)

This will also allow me to speedup the process of reviewing existing InterfaceName_t overlaps, as I will send
to the list a list of services with multiple names with a proposed deprecated/recommended set.

Problem 2)
Warren once requested me to provide a single file containing all the enumerations. The problem with
the current CSV is that, if I just merge them, one will loose the reference to what Enumeration Type
the merged document refers to. Thus, I need to add an additional field with the enumeration type name for that.

Two ways:

Solution a) Keep the single files as they are, and generate a merged file.
If you consider InterfaceName in Problem 1 above, an example of merged file
including ServiceType_t would be:

EnumerationType | EnumerationName | Status      | Recommended     | Deprecates |
================================================================================
InterfaceName_t | GRAM5           | Deprecated  | org.globus.gram |            |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ServiceType_t   | egi.GRIDVIEW    | Recommended |                 |            |


Solution b) Change all existing files to the above format.

I would prefer solution b), as it makes consistent to use either the big file or
a sigle file with the same parser. There is no strictural difference between the 
partial files and the big file. This will require also a change in the document
I wrote on enumerations.

Your opinions are very welcome. If no objections I will follow the solutions 
shown up here and document all of them in the changelog file.

Cheers,
Florido


-- 
==================================================
 Florido Paganelli
   ARC Middleware Developer - NorduGrid Collaboration
   System Administrator
 Lund University
 Department of Physics
 Division of Particle Physics
 BOX118
 221 00 Lund 
 Office Location: Fysikum, Hus B, Rum B313
 Office Tel: 046-2220272 
 Email: florido.paganelli at REMOVE_THIShep.lu.se
 Homepage: http://www.hep.lu.se/staff/paganelli
==================================================