Schemas are generated from schema definition files. A schema definition file defines the characteristics of all of the keys in a particular application. Schema definition files have a .schemas extension.
The schema definition files are included in the /etc/gconf/schemas directory. You can use the schema definition files to create a new configuration source.
Some schema definition files correspond closely to a part of the GNOME
Desktop user interface. For example, system_http_proxy.schemas
corresponds to the Internet
preference tool. Other schema definition files contain
preference keys that are not present in the GNOME Desktop user interface.
For example, the /apps/panel/global/tooltips_enabled key
is not present in the user interface.
Some parts of the GNOME Desktop user interface contain preferences that
represent preference keys from more than one schema definition file. For example,
the Shortcuts
preference tool contains preferences that represent
keys from the panel-global-config.schemas and metacity.schemas files.