def parse_conf(string): retval = {} lines = string.splitlines() i = 0 def syntax_error(message): raise SyntaxError("Line {}: {}".format(i + 1, message)) while i < len(lines): line = lines[i].strip() # Comments if line.startswith("#") or line == "": i += 1 continue key_value = line.split("=", 2) if len(key_value) < 2: syntax_error("Expected line to contain '='") key = key_value[0].strip() if key == "": syntax_error("Missing key before '='") value = key_value[1].strip() if value.startswith('"""'): value_lines = [] closed = False i += 1 while i < len(lines): value = lines[i] if value == '"""': closed = True value = value[:-3] break value_lines.append(value) i += 1 if not closed: i -= 1 syntax_error("Unclosed multiline value") value_lines.append(value) value = "\n".join(value_lines) else: value = value.rstrip() if key in retval: syntax_error("Duplicate key {}".format(key)) retval[key] = value i += 1 return retval