[weld-dev] Supporting namespaces in Java EE config files (non-portable feature for JBoss AS)

[Wolfgang Schwendt]

Pete Muir wrote:
> Hi Jason,
> 
> Something that came up during our Seam team meeting was the issue of config files again. We wanted to investigate again why we can't put namespaced elements into existing java ee config files such as application.xml, ejb-jar.xml, web.xml, but instead have to provide our own... Of course, this is non portable, but it would make life easier for users in our opinion.
> 
> Previously we have heard that this would cause us to fail the TCK, but given that this code would never run in the EE TCK, I can't see how.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> Pete


While I understand the advantage that it would reduce the number of
config files, I do not think it would be a good idea to put Seam related
config XML elements into standard JEE config files such as web.xml. Why?
Because then users would no longer be able to validate these config
files using an XML schema.

As a Seam 2 user, I often looked both at the schema documents for the
JEE config files, but also at the schema  documents for Seam, when
editing config files. I even think it is an advantage when the standard
JEE configuration and framework specific configuration is cleanly separated.

Generally speaking, the most challenging part for the developer, when
editing config files, is to know what individual configuration options
mean and how certain thing can be configured.

Therefore, to make life as easy as possible for developers, it is much
more important that configuration options are documented well than that
framework specific XML elements are integrated into standard JEE config
files.