Config::Model::Cookbook::CreateModelFromDoc - Create a configuration model from application documentation
version 2.075
This page shows step by step how was created Popcon's model from Popcon documentation provided as comments in Popcon's sample configuration file.
Popcon
A quick looks in /etc directory shows that Popcon's configuration is stored in /etc/popularity-contest.conf</t:
/etc
/etc/popularity-contest.conf</t
# Config file for Debian's popularity-contest package. # # To change this file, use: # dpkg-reconfigure popularity-contest # # You can also edit it by hand, if you so choose. # # See /usr/share/popularity-contest/default.conf for more info # on the options. MY_HOSTID="172921501FFFFFAAAA6897etc" PARTICIPATE="yes" USEHTTP="yes" DAY="5"
The important part is the mention of default.conf which contains all the required information to create Popcon's configuration model.
default.conf
Let's start from default.conf file. Since this file is loaded by popcon before loading /etc/popularity-contest.conf</t, all values there can be used as application default values (aka upstream_default):
popcon
# Default config file for Debian's popularity-contest package. # # Local overrides are in /etc/popularity-contest.conf # PARTICIPATE can be one of "yes" or "no". # If you don't want to participate in the contest, say "no" # and we won't send messages. # # If this option is missing, the default is "no". # PARTICIPATE="no" # MAILTO specifies the address to e-mail statistics to each week. # MAILTO="survey@popcon.debian.org" # MAILFROM is the forged sender email address you want to use in # email submitted to the popularity-contest. If this is commented # out, no From: or Sender: lines will be added to the outgoing mail, # and it will be your MTA's job to add them. This is usually what # you want. # # If your MTA is misconfigured or impossible to configure correctly, # and it always generates invalid From: and/or Sender: lines, you # can force different results by setting MAILFROM here. This can # cause problems with spam bouncers, so most people should leave it # commented out. # #MAILFROM="root@example.org" # SUBMITURLS is a space separated list of where to submit # popularity-contest reports using http. SUBMITURLS="http://popcon.debian.org/cgi-bin/popcon.cgi" # USEHTTP enables http reporting. Set this to 'yes' to enable it. USEHTTP="yes" # HTTP_PROXY allows one to specify an HTTP proxy server, the syntax is # HTTP_PROXY="http://proxy:port". This overrides the environment # variable http_proxy. # MY_HOSTID is a secret number that the popularity-contest receiver # uses to keep track of your submissions. Whenever you send in a # new entry, it overwrites the last one that had the same HOSTID. # # This key was generated automatically so you should normally just # leave it alone. # #MY_HOSTID="_ID_"
This file contains everything we need:
Parameter names
Documentation
Default values
Now, we will use our favorite editor to edit this file and add YAML tags that can be understood by config-model-edit
config-model-edit
config-model-edit is able to load a model described in YAML. To do this the above file needs to be translated in YAML. That's not as complicated as it may sound.
First, a YAML file must begin with ---. Then the class must be declared:
--- class: PopCon:
Note that, like with Python language, the indentation is important to define the structure of the file. Here, the PopCon class is followed by a ':' as it defines a new hierarchical level to describes the configuration elements of this class:
PopCon
element:
Now we can deal with the configuration parameters. Let's detail the PARTICIPATE element. Here's the spec in from default.conf:
PARTICIPATE
# PARTICIPATE can be one of "yes" or "no". # If you don't want to participate in the contest, say "no" # and we won't send messages. # # If this option is missing, the default is "no". # PARTICIPATE="no"
In the YAML file, the comments are moved in the description field and the value in the file is used as upstream default:
description
PARTICIPATE: upstream_default: no description: > If you don't want to participate in the contest, say "no" and we won't send messages.
Likewise for the remaining parameters:
MAILTO: description: > specifies the address to e-mail statistics to each week. default: 'survey@popcon.debian.org' MAILFROM: description: >- MAILFROM is the forged sender email address you want to use in email submitted to the popularity-contest. If this is commented out, no From: or Sender: lines will be added to the outgoing mail, and it will be your MTA's job to add them. This is usually what you want. If your MTA is misconfigured or impossible to configure correctly, and it always generates invalid From: and/or Sender: lines, you can force different results by setting MAILFROM here. This can cause problems with spam bouncers, so most people should leave it commented out.
In the description above, the chimping marker '-' after '>' is used to keep paragraph formatting in the help.
chimping
SUBMITURLS: description: > Space separated list of where to submit popularity-contest reports using http. default: > http://popcon.debian.org/cgi-bin/popcon.cgi USEHTTP: description: > enables http reporting. Set this to 'yes' to enable it. default: "yes" HTTP_PROXY: description: > allows one to specify an HTTP proxy server, the syntax is "http://proxy:port". This overrides the environment variable http_proxy. MY_HOSTID: description: > secret number that the popularity-contest receiver uses to keep track of your submissions. Whenever you send in a new entry, it overwrites the last one that had the same HOSTID. This key was generated automatically so you should normally just leave it alone.
Now that the YAML file was created, you can turn it into a model and load it in the model editor GUI with the following command:
config-model-edit -model PopCon -load_yaml popcon.yml -force
Note that the model is incomplete: some mandatory parameters are missing from the YAML file so the -force option must be used. These missing parameters are also flagged with a red cross in the GUI.
To complete the model, the easiest way is to run the wizard to complete the missing values. In the GUI, you can use the menu File -> wizard to launch the wizard. Then click on the 'OK' button in the new window.
File -> wizard
The wizard will first stop on the parameter list (not because there's an error, but because the parameter list is flagged as important)
There, you can re-order the parameters by selecting one and clicking on one of the blue arrows to move it up or down. Once you're satisfied, click on Next.
The widget will now stop on the first missing information. Just select the correct type ('leaf' here), click 'store' and 'Next'.
You can repeat these steps until the wizard exits.
Once the model is complete, it's time to specify how to read and write the file. In Popcon class specification:
right-click on read_config
click on push new node to create a new read specification
right-click on the created item (shown at index "0")
You will get a window showing you the parameters to fill to specify the read backend.
Now fill the blank on the right side. The backend to use is ShellVar since popularity-contest.conf is made of shell variables.
ShellVar
Since the write specification is identical, there's no need to specify it. Config::Model will do the right thing.
You can test the model by clicking on menu Test -> Model. You will be shown the Popcon configuration editor GUI. The same that your users will get.
Test -> Model
If everything is fine, you can quit the model editor (menu File->quit)
The model you have just created is stored in lib/Config/Model/models/Popcon.pl.
lib/Config/Model/models/Popcon.pl
You can test directly this model with :
cme edit -dev -try Popcon
Feel free to send comments and suggestion about this page at
config-model-users at lists dot sourceforge dot net.
Dominique Dumont <ddumont at cpan.org>
Dominique Dumont
This software is Copyright (c) 2015 by Dominique Dumont.
This is free software, licensed under:
The GNU Lesser General Public License, Version 2.1, February 1999
To install Config::Model, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm Config::Model
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install Config::Model
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.