Question

With Python ConfigParser, is it possible to use interpolation across foreign sections? My mind seems to tell me I’ve seen that it’s possible somewhere, but I can’t find it when searching.

This example doesn’t work, but it’s to give an idea of what I’m trying to do.

[section1]
root = /usr

[section2]
root = /usr/local

[section3]
dir1 = $(section1:root)/bin
dir2 = $(section2:root)/bin

Note that I’m using Python 2.4.

Answer 1

In python 3.2 and up this is perfectly valid:

[Common]
home_dir: /Users
library_dir: /Library
system_dir: /System
macports_dir: /opt/local

[Frameworks]
Python: 3.2
path: ${Common:system_dir}/Library/Frameworks/

[Arthur]
nickname: Two Sheds
last_name: Jackson
my_dir: ${Common:home_dir}/twosheds
my_pictures: ${my_dir}/Pictures
python_dir: ${Frameworks:path}/Python/Versions/${Frameworks:Python}

---

Edit:

I just saw that you are using python 2.4, so no, section interpolation cannot be done in python 2.4. It was introduced in python 3.2 – See section 13.2.5 – ConfigParser Interpolation of values.

class configparser.ExtendedInterpolation

An alternative handler
for interpolation which implements a more advanced syntax, used for
instance in zc.buildout. Extended interpolation is using
${section:option} to denote a value from a foreign section.
Interpolation can span multiple levels. For convenience, if the
section: part is omitted, interpolation defaults to the current
section (and possibly the default values from the special section).
For example, the configuration specified above with basic
interpolation, would look like this with extended interpolation:

   [Paths]
   home_dir: /Users
   my_dir: ${home_dir}/lumberjack
   my_pictures: ${my_dir}/Pictures

Values from other sections can be fetched as well:

   [Common]
   home_dir: /Users
   library_dir: /Library
   system_dir: /System
   macports_dir: /opt/local

   [Frameworks]
   Python: 3.2
   path: ${Common:system_dir}/Library/Frameworks/

   [Arthur]
   nickname: Two Sheds
   last_name: Jackson
   my_dir: ${Common:home_dir}/twosheds
   my_pictures: ${my_dir}/Pictures
   python_dir: ${Frameworks:path}/Python/Versions/${Frameworks:Python}