python tool for keeping track of strings

Peasantoid · 2010-01-18 01:23:31

I wrote this just now. It associates keys to strings; basically a centralized means of storing values.

#!/usr/bin/env python
from cPickle import load, dump
from sys import argv
from os.path import expanduser

strings_file = expanduser('~/lib/cfg-strings')

try:
  with open(strings_file) as f:
    strings = load(f)
except:
  strings = {}

if len(argv) < 2:
  print('''usage:
  {0} dump
  {0} get  <key>
  {0} del  <key>
  {0} set  <key> <val>'''.format(argv[0]))
elif len(argv) == 2:
  if argv[1] == 'dump':
    for k in strings.keys(): print(k + ': ' + strings[k])
elif len(argv) == 3:
  if argv[1] == 'get':
    if argv[2] in strings.keys():
      print(strings[argv[2]])
  elif argv[1] == 'del':
    if argv[2] in strings.keys():
      del(strings[argv[2]])
elif len(argv) == 4:
  if argv[1] == 'set':
    strings[argv[2]] = argv[3]

with open(strings_file, 'w') as f:
  dump(strings, f)

Replace '~/lib/cfg-strings' with your preferred destination for the pickle file.

As an example, I have this at the end of my .xinitrc:

exec $(cfg get wm)

so all I have to do is type "cfg set wm ..." to change my window manager. Note that on my system, the script is named 'cfg', so you'll want to change that depending on what you call it.

To be honest, though, I think everyone has written something like this at least once.

Last edited by Peasantoid (2010-01-18 01:29:14)

Dusty · 2010-01-18 03:33:43

With so many parsing options, you might want to look at OptionParser (in the python library) or my (shameless plug) opterator decorator to make it a bit more maintainable.

Dusty

Peasantoid · 2010-01-18 18:58:47

Dusty wrote:

With so many parsing options, you might want to look at OptionParser (in the python library) or my (shameless plug) opterator decorator to make it a bit more maintainable.

Well, not to put the diss on either of those, but a) this doesn't really need to be maintained and b) the way I'm doing it now is far more suited given that the tool's function is really very simple. I'm one of those people who belongs to the 'simple, not clever' school of thought. (Also, OptionParser is a damn pain. Your opterator seems pretty slick even at first glance, though.)

Yannick_LM · 2010-01-18 22:24:02

@dusty : the "optparse decorator" is truly a great idea

mikesd · 2010-02-14 09:20:57

Nice idea Peasantoid! I have wanted something similar for myself for a while now however wasn't exactly sure how best to do this. Here's my version. It is based on yours though as I prefer plain text for the settings file so I used JSON.

#!/usr/bin/python

import json
import os.path
import sys

SETTINGS_FILE = os.path.expanduser('~/configs/settings.json')

def dump(s):
    print json.dumps(s, sort_keys = True, indent=2)

def get(s, key):
    if s.has_key(key):
        print s[key]

def set(s, key, val):
    s[key] = val
    save(s)

def delete(s, key):
    if s.has_key(key):
        del s[key]
        save(s)

def save(s):
    json.dump(s, open(SETTINGS_FILE, 'w'))

def usage():
    str = [
        "usage: %s dump (default)",
        "       %s get <key>",
        "       %s set <key> <val>",
        "       %s delete <key>"
    ]

    for x in str:
        print x % sys.argv[0]

def main():
    try:
        settings = json.load(open(SETTINGS_FILE))
    except:
        settings = {}

    a = sys.argv
    n = len(a)
    if n == 1 or (n == 2 and a[1] == 'dump'):
        dump(settings)
    elif n == 3 and a[1] == 'get':
        get(settings, a[2])
    elif n == 3 and a[1] == 'delete':
        delete(settings, a[2])
    elif n == 4 and a[1] == 'set':
        set(settings, a[2], a[3])
    else:
        usage()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Arch Linux

#1 2010-01-18 01:23:31

python tool for keeping track of strings

#2 2010-01-18 03:33:43

Re: python tool for keeping track of strings

#3 2010-01-18 18:58:47

Re: python tool for keeping track of strings

#4 2010-01-18 22:24:02

Re: python tool for keeping track of strings

#5 2010-02-14 09:20:57

Re: python tool for keeping track of strings

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