Binary

Problem

Binary

• is the only metadata that allows more values (instead of making the validation stricter)
• is the only API that modifies metadata
• creates some inconsistencies in the API (e.g. KEY_FLAG_RO_VALUE is linked to KEY_FLAG_RO_META)

Constraints

• simplify API

Assumptions

• byte-array values are a rarely used feature in configuration settings
• absence of values, i.e., null keys however, is quite common

Considered Alternatives

• flag for indicating if a value is binary

Decision

• make keys with untyped value per default (no assumption about type, i.e., byte-array)
• all current types are not binary, so type = string is the way to indicate a string doesn't
  • contain null bytes
  • is not null (not only indicator of structure without value)
  • uses some well-defined but unspecified text encoding (i.e. not necessarily ASCII or UTF-8)
• remove binary functionality from keyNew keyVNew keyIsBinary keyIsString keyValue keyGetValueSize keyString keyGetString keySetString keyGetBinary keySetBinary
• keySetRaw -> keySetValue

Rationale

Implications

• metadata can also be binary
• binary types would be possible (e.g. nullable-string)

Related Decisions

• null

Notes