how to read json embedded ini config file in python

Question

I'm using python 3.4 I have problem reading config file having json format in formatted way(i.e. not in same line.) my config file 'Example.config' goes like this

[ABC]

outdoor = {'GAME':['cricket',
                    'football'],
           'INFO':[
                      {'Players':'eleven',
                       'Fun':'Unlimited'},
                      {'Players':'something',
                       'Fun':'Much_more'}
                     ]
         }

[XYZ]

INDOOR = {'GAME':['Carom'],
           'INFO':[
                        {'Players':'2','Fun':'Less'},
                        {'Players':'4','Fun':'More'}
                      ]
          }

INDOOR1 = {'GAME':['TABLE-TENNIS',
                    'BASKETBALL',
                    'ANYTHING'],
          'INFO':[
                    {'Players':'TWO','Fun':'MORE'},
                    {'Players':'MORE','Fun':'MUCHMORE'}
                     ]
         }

mycode

config_parser=ConfigParser()
    config_parser.read('Example.config')
    for each_section in config_parser.sections():
        for option in config_parser.options(each_section):
            option=ast.literal_eval(option)
            try:
                games=option['GAME']
                info=option['INFO']
            except:
                print('PLease format config same as qa_config.config file.Please Pay special attention to casing')
                raise

            for game in games:
                for eachInfo in info:
                    _INFO=eachInfo['Players']
                    _FUN=eachInfo['Fun']
                    print (each_section,':\n')
                    print ('\t',game,':\n')
                    print ('\t',_INFO,':\n')
                    print ('\t',_FUN,':\n')

Error :

option=ast.literal_eval(option)
  File "C:\Python34\lib\ast.py", line 84, in literal_eval
    return _convert(node_or_string)
  File "C:\Python34\lib\ast.py", line 83, in _convert
    raise ValueError('malformed node or string: ' + repr(node))
ValueError: malformed node or string: <_ast.Name object at 0x02E61910>

If I keep dictionary in one line as string without any beautification in config file ast.literal_eval() is able to handle it.

For example:

outdoor = {'GAME':['cricket','football'],'INFO':[{'Players':'eleven','Fun':'Unlimited'},{'Players':'something','Fun':'Much_more'}]}

So I guess this is due to tabs and spaces I'm using in config file. But I need beautification in config file as user will update it.

I've also tried with asteval and json.load. T.I.A.

Answer 1

I tried your code and example (admittedly in 2.7) and the problem was that you are using ast.literal_eval() on the wrong thing.

You are using it on option which is the name on the left-hand side of the ini file (in your example the words outdoor, INDOOR and INDOOR1). You want to use it on the right-hand side value of this option.

Add the missing 2nd line below to the appropriate loop in your script:

    for option in config_parser.options(each_section):
        option = config_parser.get(each_section, option)
        option = ast.literal_eval(option)

Your multiline ini file is perfectly parsed.

Answer 2

As you've discovered, that's not valid INI syntax. If you really require that sort of deeply structured data, consider just using YAML for your configuration file, which would look like this:

ABC:
  outdoor:
    GAME:
       - cricket
       - football
    INFO:
      - Players: eleven
        Fun: unlimited
      - Players: something
        Fun: much more

And parse like this:

>>> import yaml
>>> with open('myconfig.yml') as fd:
...   config = yaml.load(fd)

Which as you can see parses directly into Python data structures:

>>> import pprint
>>> pprint.pprint(config)
{'ABC': {'outdoor': {'GAME': ['cricket', 'football'],
                     'INFO': [{'Fun': 'unlimited', 'Players': 'eleven'},
                              {'Fun': 'much more', 'Players': 'something'}]}}}