[RFC] Ini parser

[Stewart Gordon]

On 26/02/2012 15:58, H. S. Teoh wrote:
> Just a quick follow up on:
>
> https://github.com/D-Programming-Language/phobos/pull/449
>
> I wasn't aware that .ini was deprecated by Microsoft. What's their
> touted replacement for it?

The registry.

Besides, the code you've linked to seems to me to be an implementation not of M$'s .ini 
format, but of something more general.

> Also, I know that there are applications out there that use the .ini
> format, even though they aren't specific to Windows. To choose a random
> example, the Opera web browser (I use the Linux version, and its config
> file is in .ini format).

Yes, I think you'll find many cross-platform apps that store configuration in files rather 
than in the registry.  In some of these cases, the developers chose the Windows .ini 
format or something based on it.

FTR: While I was doing my PhD I created a configuration file format, which I called 
Configur8.  It is similar to .ini, but with a different notation for section headings and 
with one or two extra features such as importing another Configur8 file and overriding 
some of the settings in it.

I implemented it in C++ and Fortrash 90.  I haven't got round to porting it to D, partly 
as I haven't had use for it in my personal projects, but it would be straightforward once 
I've managed to dig it up.

> Another example is git.
>
> So I think this might be something useful to have in Phobos. Just my
> $0.02.

Is there an open-standard format that we can follow, other than one that already has a 
different name (such as YAML or XML)?  IMM it makes little sense to have an implementation 
of a proprietary or ad-hoc data format in Phobos (except possibly as part of a common API 
supporting a variety of open and proprietary formats).

Stewart.