[Python-bugs-list] [ python-Bugs-810843 ] Support for non-string data in ConfigParser unclear/buggy

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Bugs item #810843, was opened at 2003-09-22 21:58
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https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=105470&aid=810843&group_id=5470

Category: None
Group: Python 2.3
Status: Open
Resolution: None
Priority: 5
Submitted By: curby (kirbysdl)
Assigned to: Nobody/Anonymous (nobody)
Summary: Support for non-string data in ConfigParser unclear/buggy

Initial Comment:
In my current project, I'm using ConfigParser to read

configuration files as well as manage internal

configuration.  The following test script generates an

error because values of options must be strings in

order for ConfigParser to run smoothly.  (It's short

enough that I'm including it here for reference; I'm

also attaching it).



#----- BEGIN TEST -----

#!/usr/bin/env python



import ConfigParser

import sys



conf = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()

conf.add_section("sect")

conf.set("sect","option",2)

conf.write(sys.stderr)

conf.get("sect","option")

#----- END TEST -----



>From the ConfigParser code, I see that the value isn't

checked to make sure it is a string before string

methods are applied to it.



I'm currently using the raw parameter to get() (see

http://www.python.org/doc/lib/ConfigParser-objects.html#l2h-1261)

in order to circumvent the problem.



I'd suggest one or more of the following:

(1) Casting the option to a string explicitly instead

of assuming it is a string (this could also be done in

the set() method).

(2) Checking that the option is a string instead of

assuming it is a string.

(3) Stating in the documentation that the set() method

should only take values of type string.

(4) Stating in the documentation that the raw parameter

should be used when an option's value might not be of

type string (this might be the intended usage, but it

isn't made clear).



I hope none of these are too difficult to implement,

but I understand that this is a noncritical problem. 

Nonetheless, I was shocked to see what I thought was a

straightforward use of ConfigParser throw off errors.  

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