m9ini 1.0.3

m9 ini configuration

m9ini Configuration Library

m9ini is a python library for reading configuration files bases on the INI format.

This library has many advanced features, including:

• Sections can be identified by name, class, or label
• Rules for default and overriding property values
• Name-value sections and text-block sections
• String substitution using properties in the same or other section
• Object-oriented section inheritance and expansion
• Robust features for programmatic access

An easy-to-use demonstration of these features is found at m9ini-demo.

Advanced feature reference

This page contains information about basic configuration file features.

Advanced features are found on other doc pages:

• Substitution: Replace placeholder strings with section property values
• Section linking: Establish links and references to other sections
• Section expansion: Dynamically generate section variations
• Programmatic access: Access configuration files from Python
• Quick reference: Syntax quick reference
• Troubleshooting: Tips for troubleshooting syntax or runtime issues
• Error messages: A list of error messages with troubleshooting tips

Config File Format

@<ini-filepath>
; includes another configuration file

setting=value
# global settings (before any section headers)

[<section>]
# section name, which is the default "class name"
[<section>:<id>]
# section with id
[<section>:<id>:<label1>,<label2>, .. ,<labelN>]
# section with id and label(s)
[*default:<section>:<id>:<labels>]
# default values for a section
[*override:<section>:<id>:<labels>]
# override values for a section

# section header overrides
*id=<id> # section id (defaults to id from section header)
*class=<class> # section class (defaults to name from section header)
*label=<labels> # one or more labels as a comma-delimited list

# section property
setting=value

# link to another section
other_section=><section>:<id>:<label>

# a text block is a section without name-values, just a list of strings
[[<section>:<id>:<labels>]]
line 1
line 2
line 3

# dynamically create N sections based on (the number of base sections) * (the number of property variations)
# => [] contains rules for matching a base section (can be blank)
# properties are inherited from the base section
# setting values containing a pipe ("|") define property variations
[<section>:<id>:<labels>] => [<section>:<id>]
setting=value1|value2

Include files

The syntax to include another ini file is: @<ini_file>. The ".ini" extension is optional.

If an include file is not found, the entire load will failure. Information about missing include files is available from GetFailures().

If an include file is referenced more than once (or recursively), a warning is issued, but the load operation continues. The include file is only loaded once.

# these lines are equivalent
@myfile
@myfile.ini
# you may specify a path to the file
@subfolder\myfile

# in this example, myfile.ini is only loaded once even though it is included twice, with the following warning
# [F06] Warning: Duplicate/recursive include file reference detected

Comments

Comments may begin with # or ;.

# a comment
; a comment

Config sections

A section header is specified in square brackets and includes a section name followed by an optional id and list of labels in the format [<name>:<id>:<labels>].

• <name>: represents a section "class". Sections with similar purpose and properties should have the same name.
• <id>: an identifier. Not required to be unique.
• <label>: a comma-delimited list of labels

Config sections contain name-value pairs. There are three reserved values:

• *id is synonomous with the section id
• *class may specify a class value (defaults to section name)
• *label contains a comma-delimited list of labels

After the INI file is read, sections can be accessed by name, id, or label using a "section specification".

# these are some examples of section headers
[section_a]
[section_b:my_id]
[section_c::label1,label2]
[section_d]
*id=my_id
[section_e:some_id]
*class=my_class
*label=label1,label2

Section specification

A section specification is a rule that matches one or more configuration sections based on the section name, id, and/or label as a string in this format: <name>:<id>:<label>. Any or all components of the section specification can be specified left to right. For example: <name>, <name>:<id>, or <name>:<id>:<label>.

The following combinations are supported:

• <name>
• <name>:<id>
• :<id>
• :<id>:<label>
• ::<label>
• <name>:<id>:<label>
• <name>::<label>

If any of these start with $, it is interpreted as "starts with". When multiple parts are specified, all parts must be satisfied. An empty specification matches all sections.

Text block sections

A text block is a section that is read as many lines under the section header without any properties.

The section header of a text block follows the same identification rules as a normal section header, but is wrapped with double brackets.

[[mytext:text_id]]
line 1
another line
# comments are ignored

blank line above is captured

Default and override rules

Default and override values may be specified with a "section specification" in the section header.

Section header rules are specified as <name>:<id>:<label>, with all these being optional. When multiple are specified, all must be true. When none are specified, all sections match.

For example: [*default:$mycl::mylabel] will provide default values for all sections that start with "mycl" and have the label "mylabel".

For example: [*override::myid] will provide override values for all sections with the id "myid".

• A property need not exist in a target section for the property to be added by a default or override rule
• When a property is found in multiple default or override sections, the first to appear will take priority
• A "*level" property may be added to a default or override section to set the priority level
  • The default priority is 0
  • Lower levels take priority
  • Priorities may be negative

[*default:MySection]
One=Bananas
Two=Strawberries
Three=Peaches

[MySection]
One=Red
Two=Blue

[*default:MySection]
Three=Black

[*override:MySection]
Two=Violet

[*override:MySection]
*level=-1
Two=Pink

# [=>MySection.One] is "Red"
# [=>MySection.Two] is "Pink"
# [=>MySection.Three] is "Peaches"