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GNOME 2.0 Desktop for the Solaris Operating Environment System Administration Guide

GConf Schemas

A GConf schema is a collective term for a GConf schema key and a GConf schema object. The following table describes schema keys and schema objects and the relationship of these items to preference keys:

Item 

Description 

Preference key 

An element in the GConf repository that corresponds to an application preference.

Schema key 

A key that stores a schema object for a preference key.  

Schema object 

An element in a configuration source that contains information for a preference key, such as the following: 

  • The name of the application that uses the preference key.

  • The type of value required for the preference key, for example integer, boolean, and so on.

  • A default value for the preference key.

  • Brief documentation on the preference key.

The following table gives examples of a preference key, a schema key, and a schema object:

Item 

Example 

Preference key 

/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name

Schema key 

/schemas/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name

Schema object 

 
<schema>
  <applyto>/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name</applyto>
  <key>/schemas/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name</key>
  <owner>gnome</owner>
  <type>string</type>
  <default>Sans 10</default>
  <locale name="C">
    <short>Default font</short>
      <long>Name of the default font used by gtk+.</long>
  </locale>
</schema>

You can associate a schema key with a preference key. For example, the following /desktop/gnome/interface/font_name key includes a schema key:

<entry name="font_name" mtime="1034873859" 
schema="/schemas/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name"/>

When you associate a schema key with a preference key, the preference uses the suggested value that is specified in the schema object of the schema key. The suggested value is contained in the <default> element in the schema object. By default, all the preference keys in the default configuration source are associated with schema keys.

Typically, schemas are stored in the default configuration source.