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

[Tom Lord]

    > From: michael josenhans <address@hidden>

    > 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.

I think you are basically right but.....

As a practical matter, the foundational problem to solve first is the
"diff/patch" problem.

Can you make a diff-like and patch-like pair of tools (and, ideally, a
diff3-like tool) that are specialized for OO files?   That interact
very well with OO editors and so forth?

Do that part first --- the arch part, after that, is pretty easy.

-t