[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       koffice
Subject:    Re: koffice file formats
From:       Robert_Schöftner <r.schoeftner () magnet ! at>
Date:       1999-07-02 6:42:10
[Download RAW message or body]

On Thu, Jul 01, 1999 at 02:26:06PM +0000, Leon Widdershoven wrote:
> John Zedlewski wrote:
> > 
> > >I think such "sections" belong in different files and the document should
> > >essentially be a directory. this can be put into a tar-file for transport.
> > 
> > I have to say that I really agree with this approach.  Then the documents
> > can still be valid XML, just containing an XML tag that points to the
> > content to be included.  This should confuse parsers a LOT less than a
> > series of XML sections separated by binary chunks.  It will also make it
> > much easier and more efficient if the user wants to, say, look at or tranfer
> > a preview file that doesn't include all of the final graphics.  The program
> > could just display an empty, correctly sized box where the binary section
> > would go.
> > --JZ
> 
> I do not agree. I think it is not the way to go, having multiple files
> for one saved file. Especially not when it is up to the user to tar
> or whatever the files together.

	TARing the documents could be handled nearly transparently by KDE.

> A better idea would be to put the binary chunks at the end of the file.

	no. those binary chunks can become REALLY large (imagine some CMYK 600dpi
photos) and we definitely don't want to rewrite that much data with every save.
using some hole-in-the-file magic will result in MS Office-like bloating of
documents. so there are IMHO not too much alternatives (btw. it did work on the
NeXT).

> Or alternatively to make a tarred file the basis of the save file. But
> this would mean the savefile is not XML, since it has to be preprocessed
> before use.

	TAR would be (in the directory approach) the transportable form. 

servas,
  robert

-- 
In Root we Trust!
   [STOP ENFOPOL:  http://www.quintessenz.at]
   [   campaign mailto:nobody@quintessenz.at]
   [   contact:      mailto:k@quintessenz.at]

[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]