Hi all,
some of you might be aware of grml, a live boot CD which uses ZSH as its default shell. I suggested integrating several different zshrc files along with whatever other files they need and offer the user a selection of said configuration files.
Now, we are wondering if there is a clean and maintainable way to do this. I have had a few ideas in this direction and would like to discuss those here. New suggestions are more than welcome as well, of course. Ideally, the same versions should be usable on the machines of whoever maintains those files, so that changes can be merged back and forth easily, which will allow more people to participate.
1) Make ZSH load the RC files from different paths (/etc/zsh/config1 ..) Pro: Almost drop-in, minimal work necessary Cleanly seperated Different ttys might run with different RC files Con: Needs modification to fpath etc Shells can not be allowed to start prior to rc file selection
2) Use symlinks Pro: Fast to set up Con: All shells are forced to use the same RC files Shells can not be allowed to start prior to rc file selection Ugly & hackish
3) Use $ZSHRC_PREFIX or some similar variable Pro: Drop-in solution once you change your RC files for the first time Cleanly seperated Different ttys might run with different RC files Con: Shells can not be allowed to start prior to rc file selection Needs a way for ZSH to be started with a variable set before it is invoked
Are there any other options? Pros or Cons I overlooked? Anything else? The main thing I worry about is to make the shells wait for their RC files in a robust & fail-safe way?
Personally, I lean towards solution 3, but I am not hell-bent onto using it.
Thanks, Richard
PS: Yes, in a second step, this system could be expanded for VIM etc, as well.