KeyFile

glib.key_file.KeyFile parses .ini-like config files.

glib.key_file.KeyFile lets you parse, edit or create files containing groups of key-value pairs, which we call "key files" for lack of a better name. Several freedesktop.org specifications use key files now, e.g the Desktop Entry Specification

and the Icon Theme Specification.

The syntax of key files is described in detail in the Desktop Entry Specification, here is a quick summary: Key files consists of groups of key-value pairs, interspersed with comments.

# this is just an example
# there can be comments before the first group

[First Group]

Name=Key File Example\tthis value shows\nescaping

# localized strings are stored in multiple key-value pairs
Welcome=Hello
Welcome[de]=Hallo
Welcome[fr_FR]=Bonjour
Welcome[it]=Ciao

[Another Group]

Numbers=2;20;-200;0

Booleans=true;false;true;true

Lines beginning with a '#' and blank lines are considered comments.

Groups are started by a header line containing the group name enclosed in '[' and ']', and ended implicitly by the start of the next group or the end of the file. Each key-value pair must be contained in a group.

Key-value pairs generally have the form key=value, with the exception of localized strings, which have the form key[locale]=value, with a locale identifier of the form lang_COUNTRY@MODIFIER where COUNTRY and MODIFIER are optional. Space before and after the '=' character are ignored. Newline, tab, carriage return and backslash characters in value are escaped as \n, \t, \r, and \\\\, respectively. To preserve leading spaces in values, these can also be escaped as \s.

Key files can store strings (possibly with localized variants), integers, booleans and lists of these. Lists are separated by a separator character, typically ';' or ','. To use the list separator character in a value in a list, it has to be escaped by prefixing it with a backslash.

This syntax is obviously inspired by the .ini files commonly met on Windows, but there are some important differences:

  • .ini files use the ';' character to begin comments, key files use the '#' character.
  • Key files do not allow for ungrouped keys meaning only comments can precede the first group.
  • Key files are always encoded in UTF-8.
  • Key and Group names are case-sensitive. For example, a group called GROUP is a different from group.
  • .ini files don't have a strongly typed boolean entry type, they only have GetProfileInt(). In key files, only true and false (in lower case) are allowed.

Note that in contrast to the Desktop Entry Specification, groups in key files may contain the same key multiple times; the last entry wins. Key files may also contain multiple groups with the same name; they are merged together. Another difference is that keys and group names in key files are not restricted to ASCII characters.

Here is an example of loading a key file and reading a value:

g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
g_autoptr(GKeyFile) key_file = g_key_file_new ();

if (!g_key_file_load_from_file (key_file, "key-file.ini", flags, &error))
  {
    if (!g_error_matches (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_NOENT))
      g_warning ("Error loading key file: %s", error->message);
    return;
  }

g_autofree gchar *val = g_key_file_get_string (key_file, "Group Name", "SomeKey", &error);
if (val == NULL &&
    !g_error_matches (error, G_KEY_FILE_ERROR, G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_KEY_NOT_FOUND))
  {
    g_warning ("Error finding key in key file: %s", error->message);
    return;
  }
else if (val == NULL)
  {
    // Fall back to a default value.
    val = g_strdup ("default-value");
  }

Here is an example of creating and saving a key file:

g_autoptr(GKeyFile) key_file = g_key_file_new ();
const gchar *val = …;
g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;

g_key_file_set_string (key_file, "Group Name", "SomeKey", val);

// Save as a file.
if (!g_key_file_save_to_file (key_file, "key-file.ini", &error))
  {
    g_warning ("Error saving key file: %s", error->message);
    return;
  }

// Or store to a GBytes for use elsewhere.
gsize data_len;
g_autofree guint8 *data = (guint8 *) g_key_file_to_data (key_file, &data_len, &error);
if (data == NULL)
  {
    g_warning ("Error saving key file: %s", error->message);
    return;
  }
g_autoptr(GBytes) bytes = g_bytes_new_take (g_steal_pointer (&data), data_len);
class KeyFile : Boxed {}

Constructors

this
this()

Creates a new empty #GKeyFile object. Use glib.key_file.KeyFile.loadFromFile, glib.key_file.KeyFile.loadFromData, glib.key_file.KeyFile.loadFromDirs or glib.key_file.KeyFile.loadFromDataDirs to read an existing key file.

Members

Functions

getBoolean
bool getBoolean(string groupName, string key)

Returns the value associated with key under group_name as a boolean.

getBooleanList
bool[] getBooleanList(string groupName, string key)

Returns the values associated with key under group_name as booleans.

getComment
string getComment(string groupName, string key)

Retrieves a comment above key from group_name. If key is null then comment will be read from above group_name. If both key and group_name are null, then comment will be read from above the first group in the file.

getDouble
double getDouble(string groupName, string key)

Returns the value associated with key under group_name as a double. If group_name is null, the start_group is used.

getDoubleList
double[] getDoubleList(string groupName, string key)

Returns the values associated with key under group_name as doubles.

getGroups
string[] getGroups(size_t length)

Returns all groups in the key file loaded with key_file. The array of returned groups will be null-terminated, so length may optionally be null.

getInt64
long getInt64(string groupName, string key)

Returns the value associated with key under group_name as a signed 64-bit integer. This is similar to glib.key_file.KeyFile.getInteger but can return 64-bit results without truncation.

getInteger
int getInteger(string groupName, string key)

Returns the value associated with key under group_name as an integer.

getIntegerList
int[] getIntegerList(string groupName, string key)

Returns the values associated with key under group_name as integers.

getKeys
string[] getKeys(string groupName, size_t length)

Returns all keys for the group name group_name. The array of returned keys will be null-terminated, so length may optionally be null. In the event that the group_name cannot be found, null is returned and error is set to G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_GROUP_NOT_FOUND.

getLocaleForKey
string getLocaleForKey(string groupName, string key, string locale)

Returns the actual locale which the result of glib.key_file.KeyFile.getLocaleString or glib.key_file.KeyFile.getLocaleStringList came from.

getLocaleString
string getLocaleString(string groupName, string key, string locale)

Returns the value associated with key under group_name translated in the given locale if available. If locale is null then the current locale is assumed.

getLocaleStringList
string[] getLocaleStringList(string groupName, string key, string locale)

Returns the values associated with key under group_name translated in the given locale if available. If locale is null then the current locale is assumed.

getStartGroup
string getStartGroup()

Returns the name of the start group of the file.

getString
string getString(string groupName, string key)

Returns the string value associated with key under group_name. Unlike glib.key_file.KeyFile.getValue, this function handles escape sequences like \s.

getStringList
string[] getStringList(string groupName, string key)

Returns the values associated with key under group_name.

getUint64
ulong getUint64(string groupName, string key)

Returns the value associated with key under group_name as an unsigned 64-bit integer. This is similar to glib.key_file.KeyFile.getInteger but can return large positive results without truncation.

getValue
string getValue(string groupName, string key)

Returns the raw value associated with key under group_name. Use glib.key_file.KeyFile.getString to retrieve an unescaped UTF-8 string.

hasGroup
bool hasGroup(string groupName)

Looks whether the key file has the group group_name.

loadFromBytes
bool loadFromBytes(glib.bytes.Bytes bytes, glib.types.KeyFileFlags flags)

Loads a key file from the data in bytes into an empty #GKeyFile structure. If the object cannot be created then error is set to a #GKeyFileError.

loadFromData
bool loadFromData(string data, size_t length, glib.types.KeyFileFlags flags)

Loads a key file from memory into an empty #GKeyFile structure. If the object cannot be created then error is set to a #GKeyFileError.

loadFromDataDirs
bool loadFromDataDirs(string file, string fullPath, glib.types.KeyFileFlags flags)

This function looks for a key file named file in the paths returned from glib.global.getUserDataDir and glib.global.getSystemDataDirs, loads the file into key_file and returns the file's full path in full_path. If the file could not be loaded then an error is set to either a #GFileError or #GKeyFileError.

loadFromDirs
bool loadFromDirs(string file, string[] searchDirs, string fullPath, glib.types.KeyFileFlags flags)

This function looks for a key file named file in the paths specified in search_dirs, loads the file into key_file and returns the file's full path in full_path.

loadFromFile
bool loadFromFile(string file, glib.types.KeyFileFlags flags)

Loads a key file into an empty #GKeyFile structure.

removeComment
bool removeComment(string groupName, string key)

Removes a comment above key from group_name. If key is null then comment will be removed above group_name. If both key and group_name are null, then comment will be removed above the first group in the file.

removeGroup
bool removeGroup(string groupName)

Removes the specified group, group_name, from the key file.

removeKey
bool removeKey(string groupName, string key)

Removes key in group_name from the key file.

saveToFile
bool saveToFile(string filename)

Writes the contents of key_file to filename using glib.global.fileSetContents. If you need stricter guarantees about durability of the written file than are provided by glib.global.fileSetContents, use glib.global.fileSetContentsFull with the return value of glib.key_file.KeyFile.toData.

setBoolean
void setBoolean(string groupName, string key, bool value)

Associates a new boolean value with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created.

setBooleanList
void setBooleanList(string groupName, string key, bool[] list)

Associates a list of boolean values with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created. If group_name is null, the start_group is used.

setComment
bool setComment(string groupName, string key, string comment)

Places a comment above key from group_name.

setDouble
void setDouble(string groupName, string key, double value)

Associates a new double value with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created.

setDoubleList
void setDoubleList(string groupName, string key, double[] list)

Associates a list of double values with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created.

setInt64
void setInt64(string groupName, string key, long value)

Associates a new integer value with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created.

setInteger
void setInteger(string groupName, string key, int value)

Associates a new integer value with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created.

setIntegerList
void setIntegerList(string groupName, string key, int[] list)

Associates a list of integer values with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created.

setListSeparator
void setListSeparator(char separator)

Sets the character which is used to separate values in lists. Typically ';' or ',' are used as separators. The default list separator is ';'.

setLocaleString
void setLocaleString(string groupName, string key, string locale, string string_)

Associates a string value for key and locale under group_name. If the translation for key cannot be found then it is created.

setLocaleStringList
void setLocaleStringList(string groupName, string key, string locale, string[] list)

Associates a list of string values for key and locale under group_name. If the translation for key cannot be found then it is created.

setString
void setString(string groupName, string key, string string_)

Associates a new string value with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created. If group_name cannot be found then it is created. Unlike glib.key_file.KeyFile.setValue, this function handles characters that need escaping, such as newlines.

setStringList
void setStringList(string groupName, string key, string[] list)

Associates a list of string values for key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created. If group_name cannot be found then it is created.

setUint64
void setUint64(string groupName, string key, ulong value)

Associates a new integer value with key under group_name. If key cannot be found then it is created.

setValue
void setValue(string groupName, string key, string value)

Associates a new value with key under group_name.

toData
string toData(size_t length)

This function outputs key_file as a string.

Static functions

errorQuark
glib.types.Quark errorQuark()

Inherited Members

From Boxed

cInstancePtr
void* cInstancePtr;

Pointer to the C boxed value

getType
GType getType()

Get the GType of this boxed type.

gType
GType gType [@property getter]

Boxed GType property.

self
Boxed self()

Convenience method to return this cast to a type. For use in D with statements.

copy_
void* copy_()

Make a copy of the wrapped C boxed data.

boxedCopy
void* boxedCopy(void* cBoxed)

Copy a C boxed value using g_boxed_copy.

boxedFree
void boxedFree(void* cBoxed)

Free a C boxed value using g_boxed_free.