# Non-database data infrastructure **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [September 3, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666 "2007-09-03T17:06:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dbbd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666/1 "2007-09-03T17:06:58Z")
I’ve just completed my first exercise of RoR. Now I need to decide if this is the right tool for the application I have in mind. The problem is that as far as I can tell, RoR relies on the underlying data coming from a relational database. A lot of code is provided to deal with the creation/migration/selection/modification of database records. However, my application will deal with configuration files - things like /etc type config files. If I was using SuSE, I would develop a yast applet, but I want something generic and web based (webmin like if you will). Is there an infrastructure to deal with arbitrary data format? XML? unstructured files? If not, how difficult do you think it will be to develop such an infrastructure? Are there projects out there, already doing rails based webmin-like tools? Thanks, Dan ---
**Author:** ![dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dbbd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666/2 "2007-09-03T17:58:07Z")
On 9/3/07, Pat M. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > deal with the creation/migration/selection/modification of database > > If not, how difficult do you think it will be to develop such an > > I don’t know of any projects off the top of my head, but you could > certainly use general config files. You’d just need to write the code > that handles the reading, validation, and writing. Basically you > could use the entire Rails stack except for AR. > > Pat I understand. Don’t know how hard it is, I mean to stick the new code into the framework, but conceptually this is what I though. BTW, What do you mean by AR? Dan ---
**Author:** ![dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dbbd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666/3 "2007-09-03T17:10:59Z")
On 9/3/07, dbbd [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > However, my application will deal with configuration files - things > Are there projects out there, already doing rails based webmin-like > tools? > > Thanks, > Dan > > > I don’t know of any projects off the top of my head, but you could certainly use general config files. You’d just need to write the code that handles the reading, validation, and writing. Basically you could use the entire Rails stack except for AR. Pat ---
**Author:** ![dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dbbd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666/4 "2007-09-03T18:12:09Z")
Arti ([http://arti-ar.cfcl.com/](http://arti-ar.cfcl.com/)) currently pulls all of its data from a set of YAML files that are generated by batch-mode scripts. The source code is available for online inspection; alternatively, you can simply download the package. ## -r [http://www.cfcl.com/rdm](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm) Rich M. [http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/resume](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/resume) removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/weblog](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/weblog) +1 650-873-7841 Technical editing and writing, programming, and web development ---
**Author:** ![dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dbbd)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666/5 "2007-09-04T16:28:38Z")
At 08:38 +0000 9/4/07, dbbd wrote: > I have no idea how this is relevant to my question. Arti is an example of a program that uses a “non-database data infrastructure”: Arti ([http://arti-ar.cfcl.com/](http://arti-ar.cfcl.com/)) currently pulls all of its data from a set of YAML files that are generated by batch-mode scripts. That is, Arti’s data infrastructure is based on a set of YAML files. > I still have no idea what AR is. ActiveRecord is the de facto standard for accessing databases under Rails. AR is a common abbreviation for this. > Nor do I understand to what “package” you refer. I was referring to the Arti package. ## -r [http://www.cfcl.com/rdm](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm) Rich M. [http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/resume](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/resume) removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/weblog](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/weblog) +1 650-873-7841 Technical editing and writing, programming, and web development ---
**Author:** ![dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dbbd)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666/6 "2007-09-25T23:10:25Z")
dbbd wrote: > > > > [You’re into Technical writing, no? I would have expected a somewhat > clearer answer. No offense please] > > Dan If I remember your original question, AR is ActiveRecord and is the basic class in Rails that does the Object-Relational Mapping (from Ruby objects \<-\>a relational DB record such as one in a table in MySQL) therefore providing your application with the data that it needs. If you want to move to a non-DB structure, I believe this is the best you’d need to do without (I think that’s what one of the replies to your question was). Cheers, Mohit. 9/4/2007 | 4:41 PM. ---
**Author:** ![dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@dbbd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dbbd)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 10:52am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/non-database-data-infrastructure/113666/7 "2007-09-04T10:52:21Z")
On Sep 3, 7:11 pm, Rich M. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Arti ([http://arti-ar.cfcl.com/](http://arti-ar.cfcl.com/)) currently pulls all of its data > from a set of YAML files that are generated by batch-mode scripts. > The source code is available for online inspection; alternatively, > you can simply download the package. > > -r > –[http://www.cfcl.com/rdm](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm) Rich M.[http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/resume](http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/resume) removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid://www.cfcl.com/rdm/weblog +1 650-873-7841 > > Technical editing and writing, programming, and web development > From the web site you refer to: > “Arti is an attempt to improve the documentation infrastructure for > Ruby in general and Rails in particular” > I have no idea how this is relevant to my question. I still have no idea what AR is. Nor do I understand to what “package” you refer. [You’re into Technical writing, no? I would have expected a somewhat clearer answer. No offense please] Dan