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 {

this();

bool getBoolean(string groupName, string key);

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

string getComment(string groupName, string key);

double getDouble(string groupName, string key);

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

string[] getGroups(size_t length);

long getInt64(string groupName, string key);

int getInteger(string groupName, string key);

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

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

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

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

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

string getStartGroup();

string getString(string groupName, string key);

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

ulong getUint64(string groupName, string key);

string getValue(string groupName, string key);

bool hasGroup(string groupName);

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

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

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

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

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

bool removeComment(string groupName, string key);

bool removeGroup(string groupName);

bool removeKey(string groupName, string key);

bool saveToFile(string filename);

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

void setListSeparator(char separator);

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

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

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

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

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

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

string toData(size_t length);

static glib.types.Quark errorQuark();

}

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.

glib key_file classes

KeyFile