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Newbie question: Is Hivemind well-suited for this task?

by mister bean :: Rate this Message:

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I am deep into a project that reads in a data file, massages it, and writes out reports in various formats(spreadsheets, SVG chart, PDF, etc.). It currently uses plug-ins for the data massaging and for the various output formats. These plug-ins are JAR files that are loaded via a standard class loader.

Which plug-in to use when is determined by command-line switches. The code examines them and then loads, let's say, the PDF plugin. Because this is all done in code, it casts the plug-in location process into stone. I am about to externalize this step, by using an XML config file. (PDF output? Look up in the config file which plug-in JAR to use). This way, I can add new plugins and capabilities without having to change the code.

Before I make this change, I am beginning to wonder whether HiveMind would make better sense here. If so, what would it bring me that I don't get by using a simple XML config file? My sense is that HiveMind is probably overkill for what I need. But I would appreciate some thoughts from users before I commit to lots of time on the learning curve (rewarding as that might be ;-) to solve this specific problem.

Many thanks in advance.

---mr. bean

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