Configuration Data Sources

Each user application receives configuration data from the following sources:

• Default configuration data source: stores the default settings for an application. This configuration data source is deployed with the application and remains mostly unchanged throughout its lifetime. The query mechanisms and the format for this data source are defined by each application. Some applications use a "proprietary" method to store configuration data, while other applications use a shared subsystem for the configuration data, for example, GConf.

• User configuration data source: stores user settings for an application. The query/update mechanisms and format for this data source are defined by each application.

• Profile Configuration data source: this data source is provided by the Sun Desktop Manager 1.0. The configuration data is stored in the configuration repositories. The mechanisms to access that data are provided by the Configuration Agent and the Configuration Adapters.

The application settings for a user on a host are calculated in two steps. The profile configuration tree is constructed, and then the configuration data sources are combined.