read_referencerc.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
u"""
read_referencerc.py (02/2018)
Reads the supplied referencerc file for default file path and file format
UPDATE HISTORY:
    Updated 02/2018: using str instead of unicode for python3 compatibility
    Written 10/2017
"""
import os, re
#-- PURPOSE: read referencerc file and extract parameters
def read_referencerc(referencerc_file):
    #-- variable with parameter definitions
    parameters = {}
    #-- Opening parameter file and assigning file ID (f)
    with open(os.path.expanduser(referencerc_file), 'r') as f:
        #-- read entire line and keep all uncommented lines
        fin = [i for i in f.read().splitlines() if i and re.match('^(?!#)',i)]
    #-- for each line in the file will extract the parameter (name and value)
    for fileline in fin:
        #-- Splitting the input line between parameter name and value
        part = fileline.split(':')
        #-- filling the parameter definition variable
        parameters[part[0].strip()] = part[1].strip()
    #-- return the file path and file format
    datapath = os.path.expanduser(parameters['datapath'])
    dataformat = str(parameters['dataformat'])
    return datapath, dataformat