[Gnu-arch-users] File-tpye plug-in architecture for Arch?

[michael josenhans]

Hello,

arch as a version management is currently designed to work with:
- text files

the diff tool is designed to work with:
- text files

the patch sets:
- are stored as tar files

Should be a plug-in structure available to adapt on specific types.

In current discussions, we see people requesting to use other storage 
formats for patchsets (see discussion on 'Re: patch-log sizes') or
use it with other file types. E.g. XML- or SGML-files (see discussion on 
  'Re: arch and bookmark maintenance').
For XML- or SGML-files a diff tool supporting automatic conflict 
resolution considering the XML/SGML syntax and eventually even the DTD 
would be useful.

In extreme arch could be used for version management of 
OpenOffice-files, while are zipped XML-files.

Knowing OpenOffice's storage format and DTD structure by having 
OO-plug-ins, arch could create patch sets from the diff's generated from 
OO files. Eventually this would lead to a very interesting method for 
collaborative work on office documents and on change tracking.

Likely it would not work with current OO-files very well, but could arch 
 as background infrastructure potentially provide change tracking and 
collaborative document work into such environments?

Let's hear your opinions.

Michael