NAME

ConfigFile.pm -- Perl module to read and write Windows-like config files

SYSNOPSIS

 use ConfigFile;
 $config = new ConfigFile "config_file_path";
 $val = $config->Parameter ($section, $parameter);
 $config->Parameter ($section, $parameter, $val);

DESCRIPTION

This module provides an easy and standard way for accessing configuration files from Perl. Its structure is meant to be very simple and extendable. The module reads and writes configuration files that are simular to Microsoft Windows INI files.

The Windows INI file format was chosen because of its simplicity, the ability to have multiple sections, and the wide spread use in many hundreds of applications. The file format consists of three types of lines: section declarations, definitions, and comments.

• Section declarations Section declarations simply mark the start of another section in the configuration file. It is easily recognizable because of the square brackets ([]) that surround the section name. Any white space that is placed on this line--before, inside, or after the square brackets--is ignored. Any white space within the section name is squeezed down to a single space.

• Section definitions Section definitions are the actual settings. The section definitions consists of key and value pairs that are seperated by an equal sign (=). Any white space that is before or after the key or value is ignored. White space in the key portion is left intact and is squeezed down to one space. The value portion is treated the same as a key unless it is surrounded by double quotes ("), in which case the white space remains as is and the double quotes are removed from the value portion.

• Comments Comments are totally ignored. Comment lines begin with either a semicolon (;) or a pound sign (#). White space is allowed before the semicolon and pound sign. A comment can not be on the same line as a section definition.

Configuration File Example

        ; Mail configuration 

        [ Mail ]
        
        User = hickey
        Connection Type = imap

AUTHOR

Gerard Hickey hickey@ctron.com