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python-3.xparsingconfigconfigparser

Python 3 ConfigParser reading the inline comments as well


I have the following code, where the filePath is the path to a cfg file on disk. When I parse it, it also reads the inline comments (the ones with space + ";").

Some lines of the result:

xlsx:Yes ; comment goes here

html:Yes ; comment goes here

It should be:

xlsx:Yes

html:Yes

def ParseFile(filePath):
    """this function returns the parsed CFG file"""
    parser = configparser.ConfigParser()
    print("Reading config file from %s" % filePath)
    parser.read(filePath)
    for section in parser.sections():
        print("[ SECTION: %s ]" % section)
        for option in parser.options(section):
            print("%s:%s" % (option, parser.get(section, option)))

Solution

  • Inline comments are not enabled by default.

    From an example in the docs:

    [You can use comments]
    # like this
    ; or this
    
    # By default only in an empty line.
    # Inline comments can be harmful because they prevent users
    # from using the delimiting characters as parts of values.
    # That being said, this can be customized.
    

    To allow inline comments with ';':

    parser = configparser.ConfigParser(inline_comment_prefixes=';')