How to read indentated sections with python configparser

Question

I try to read the following config file with python configparser:

# test.conf
[section]
a = 0.3

        [subsection]
        b = 123

# main.py

import configparser
conf = configparser.ConfigParser()
conf.read("./test.conf")
a = conf['section']['a']
print(a)

Output:

0.3

[subsection]
b = 123

If I remove the indents, a is read correctly.

How can I read a config file with indents correctly with python configparser?

I use python 3.7.6

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 24 '22 at 08:29

5

After raising a bug in python bug tracker, iI have found a way to read the indended subsections. Add empty_lines_in_values=False to your code.

import configparser
conf = configparser.ConfigParser(empty_lines_in_values=False)
conf.read("./test.conf")
a = conf['section']['a']
print(a)

Output:

hello

edited Jun 24 '22 at 08:29

Delgan

answered Jul 24 '20 at 08:09

Vignesh

Thank you so much. But why the example works in the documentation is not very intuitive. I would rather not indent lines in config files in the future instead of having to think about this bool every time. – Käseknacker Jul 27 '20 at 05:28

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 10 '20 at 14:57

0

Configparser supports only one section and no sub sections, if you want you can use config obj, http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/configobj.html

pip install configobj

and you should use double square bracket for a [[subsection]] like this in configobj module

answered Jul 10 '20 at 14:57

Vignesh

Thanks for your suggestion. I know that configparser does not support subsections. I just wanted to use the indentation to structure the config file better. According to the documentation, this should also be possible. – Käseknacker Jul 13 '20 at 04:58
according to documentation, it is possible, but this feature does not seem to be working, Probably we will raise a bug to configparser – Vignesh Jul 13 '20 at 05:01
Raised an issue for this, Hope this will be solved https://github.com/jaraco/configparser/issues/55 – Vignesh Jul 13 '20 at 05:35
Thanks for opening an issue. Then I read the documentation correctly and it is really a bug in the configparser package. – Käseknacker Jul 14 '20 at 07:13

2 Answers2