Parse a list of lists in configuration file in python

Question

I can read a configuration file with a list like this:

# config file is called config.txt
[PARAMETER]
site_loc      = [45.77,-87.20]

# Read in site_loc list
import  ast
from ConfigParser import SafeConfigParser

# Parse config file
parser = SafeConfigParser()

parser.read('config.txt')

Is there a way to read a list of lists? e.g. site_loc = [[45.77,-87.20], [23.0,-45.0]]

I can't get your example to work... It's giving me an empty list when I do parser.read('config.txt'). Also, I think that function wants a file, not a string... — rofls
– rofls, Commented Oct 16, 2015 at 1:08
I had to do parser.read(open('config.txt','r')) to get the empty list. Otherwise it gave me ['config.txt'] — rofls
– rofls, Commented Oct 16, 2015 at 1:08
rofls, you need to create the config.txt file. The data in config.txt is site_loc... — user308827
– user308827, Commented Oct 16, 2015 at 1:09
>>> t=open('config.txt','r') >>> for i in t: ... print i ... [PARAMETER] site_loc = [45.77,-87.20] — rofls
– rofls, Commented Oct 16, 2015 at 1:10

Stephane Martin · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-16 12:36:38Z

1

For more complex config files like yours, it's probably better to use a third party configuration library. For example:

https://github.com/toml-lang/toml

https://github.com/avakar/pytoml

answered Oct 16, 2015 at 12:36

Stephane Martin

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