Software Configuration Utopia

ZaphodsMap paradigm can be implemented on any platform.

ZaphodsMap idea: It is invisible. You will need to keep reading to understand...

ZaphodsMap makes it easy to...

Centralize program configuration
Backup program configuration
Separate high-security configuration details from lower-security details
Manage settings for multiple machines and/or users within a single file

ZaphodsMap works anywhere...

Windows 32-bit, 64-bit
Linux
Macintosh
Venus
...because it is a paradigm, an idea, not a particular implementation...

Key Features

One starting point

A single fact determines the starting point of configuration, and that fact can be the same regardless of whether the software is running standalone under a logged-in user's account, or launched from another program with debugger access, or as a service or daemon, or even as a component within a dynamically linked library.

That single fact is: an environment variable named ZaphodsMap, which points to a tiny global settings file and whose folder contains one or more "branches" (folder) containing ZMKeybox.xml files.

No Limit on Number of Configuration Files per Application

A software program can point to one, or more, configuration files.

Programs can share, or not share, configuration details

If you want programs to share configuration details, great, if not, no problem, keep them separate.

Machines can share, or not share, configuration details

Each machine ("computer") can be assigned a "context". Based on that context, configuration details will be loaded. It is up to you to give machines unique names, or the same name.

Users can share, or not share, configuration details

With or without using "MyDocument" paths, users can share, or not share, configuration details.

Used by a few people in over 3 countries!

It's September 1st, 2010. We have shipped the 38th public set of source files for ZaphodsMap and a few applications are using the paradigm. Known users are in Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, New Zealand and USA. Nonetheless, soon, very soon, software developers around the world will start adopting ZaphodsMap.

How it works

We'll explain to you the foundation of ZaphodsMap on this web site. Essentially, it is a hierarchical system for organizing and storing all configuration details for software packages. The uses are endless.

Benefits you'll feel

Before ZaphodsMap, every software package invented its own way to initialize itself. Certainly you will recognize these ideas: INI files in the folder with the compiled binary ("EXE"); Information in the Windows Registry; INI files in the user's folder; INI files in the operating system folder; XML files in the folder with the compiled binary program. (etc.) With ZaphodsMap, one solution handles it all.

How much does ZaphodsMap cost?

Nothing. It's an idea, we hope you like it and use it. The source code on the download page is offered at no charge.

This web site content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License. The ZaphodsMap web site is published by HREF Tools Corp. If you use ZaphodsMap, please mention ZaphodsMap.com at least once in your software source and at least once in your software documentation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.