Re: [Sks-devel] where are the docs????

[Yaron Minsky]

Documentation is sadly thin, and the main documentation now is the
Wiki, which is a big step up from my docs, but is no doubt missing a
lot.

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 23:47:43 +0200, Robert Urban <address@hidden> wrote:

> The README sort-of explains how to build a database using a keydump,
> but what about if I just want to start with an empty database?  

Starting with an empty database is not well-supported.  If someone
else has had luck with this, they should mention it, but I've had
problems when I've tried it.  Things work best if you start with a
fairly recent keydump.

> There
> is no hint of how to do this.  I tried "sks build", which seemed to
> do something, and "sks db" ran afterwards, so I guess "build" was
> the correct parameter...
> 
> What is the format of the config file?  All I know is what is in the
> readme, which is that there is a "logfile" keyword.  What other keywords
> exist?  I guess I'll be poking around in the sources for the answer
> to this question...

The config file is just has a key and value on each line separated by
a colon.  The options are the same as the command-line options, which
you can get to by typing "sks --help".

> Random things that struck me as missing:
> 
> - no sample config file
> - no sample init file with the distribution
>   (I know, there is one as part of a FAQ answer...)
> 
> behaviour that needs documenting:
> - what command/parameters exist and what do they do

You can see the main modes of sks by typing "sks help", and get the
flags by typing "sks --help".

> - what signals, if any, are caught and used (HUP?)

No special signal-handling is provided, beyond intercepting and trying
to handle breaks by shutting things down politely.

> - what are error messages and their meanings

That's too big of a topic for me to effectively answer right now, and
you're right that it is sadly under-documented.

> - what are the basic patterns of use?  (i.e., examples of how
>   to do common tasks (such as creating a new, empty database...)).

Well, the main pattern of use that is well-supported is the one that
is discussed in the docs, i.e., getting a keydump and setting up a
database from that.  Other modes of use are possible, and would be a
nice thing for people to write about in the wiki.