Standard way to read config files?
Newbie C (and/or C++) programming question!
Since many configuration options are set up in plain text config files, is there are standard way to read and parse them? I could write my own version, but it would probably not be the most efficient way, and wound just be reinventing the wheel... Thanks |
The answer is..... no:(
There really isn't a default standard way linux configuration files are layed out. Sometimes the option labes are one word, sometimes they are multiple. Sometimes the option value is one word/value, sometimes it is multiple. Sometimes there are " or some other character around values, sometimes not. It really is inconsistant. |
It depend on what do you need to store. For short info use something like :
info as string separated by a special char (say 29 so user never use it). But it as some big disadvantage : it can be really hard to extend. If your project grow it can be a whole part to rewrite. I would suggest you to write it as xml files. There's a lot of parser for xml files like libxml or QT. Some of the job is already done but you have to learn some basis of xml.... I think this is the best way since it's extensible and a very powerfull way of storing things... And more it can be edited... Hope this help... |
Yeah thanks. I really have no need for it at the moment, but I am pretty new to linux and having edited a million linux config files that essentially looked the same I was just wondering why it was that way!
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Config files are the same mostly out of convention.
There are no rules or convenient libraries it's just that people do it the same way b/c it is easy and there isn't really a need to do it differently. |
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