DRY up mysql/postgres yaml generators

Hey folks,

Not sure about you, but when setting up a rails project, I get tired of specifying username, login, etc 3 times, when it should only be done once, in the config/database.yml file.

To me, it makes more sense to use yaml and do the following:

login: &login   adapter: mysql   encoding: utf8   username: robert   password: super_secret

development:   database: cool_app_development   <<: *login

test:   database: cool_app_test   <<: *login

production:   database: cool_app_production   <<: *login

So, I've written a patch for mysql and postgres generators to follow the above, instead of what we are used to. Links below, looking for some +1's :slight_smile:

link: http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/10069

I use it, but have noticed that a significant number of coders don’t like this YAML feature.

Please, express your opinions here.

The syntax is too obscure and not many people know it. It could confuse people who use Rails for the first time, or people who are not intimately familiar with YAML. I think it's more important that the config file is easy to read, than saving 20 seconds at the beginning of a project.

I agree. Perhaps it could just be a link in the comments of database.yml which points to more info on the rails rdoc/trac?

-- Chad

Yes, that's a good compromise.

How about keeping the structure I suggested, but adding comments explaining the structure for clarification? To me it makes sense because it DRY's up your code, something Rails advocates, but doesn't follow in this area.

Yes but Rails also advocates readability, and unfortunately this YAML syntax doesn't. I think readability is more important.

Agree. Too much DRY leads to perlism sometimes, this is quite close to that. And not much to gain from it either.

I rarely use the same username and password for my production and development databases, so not only does this obfuscate the file a little bit it also makes me have to do more work when I get ready to do production testing and deployment.

--Jeremy

I totally disagree with the "perlism" comparison here. If it is a taste thing, that's understandable, but saying the above code snippet is too hard to read or akin to perlism, I don't agree. But whatever the consensus is, is cool with me.

Second. I actually use Robert's syntax myself, as I'm sure many developers do, but it would be too daunting for a first-time configuration.

Now, if there were a way to specify "default:" at the top, and have the *code* that reads database.yml merge in the default hash keys, that would be more worthwhile. But -1 for the pure-YAML version.