<!-- ##### SECTION Title ##### -->
Key-value file parser

<!-- ##### SECTION Short_Description ##### -->
parses <filename>.ini</filename>-like config files

<!-- ##### SECTION Long_Description ##### -->
<para>
#GKeyFile lets you parse, edit or create files containing groups of
key-value pairs, which we call <firstterm>key files</firstterm> for 
lack of a better name. Several freedesktop.org specifications use
key files now, e.g the 
<ulink url="http://freedesktop.org/Standards/desktop-entry-spec">Desktop
Entry Specification</ulink> and the
<ulink url="http://freedesktop.org/Standards/icon-theme-spec">Icon
Theme Specification</ulink>. 
</para>

<para>
The syntax of key files is described in detail in the 
<ulink url="http://freedesktop.org/Standards/desktop-entry-spec">Desktop
Entry Specification</ulink>, here is a quick summary: Key files
consists of groups of key-value pairs, interspersed with comments.
</para>

<informalexample><programlisting>
# this is just an example
# there can be comments before the first group

[First Group]

Name=Key File Example\tthis value shows\nescaping

# localized strings are stored in multiple key-value pairs
Welcome=Hello
Welcome[de]=Hallo
Welcome[fr_FR]=Bonjour
Welcome[it]=Ciao
Welcome[be@latin]=Hello

[Another Group]

Numbers=2;20;-200;0

Booleans=true;false;true;true

</programlisting></informalexample>

<para>
Lines beginning with a '#' and blank lines are considered comments.
</para>

<para>
Groups are started by a header line containing the group name enclosed
in '[' and ']', and ended implicitly by the start of the next group or
the end of the file. Each key-value pair must be contained in a group.
</para>

<para>
Key-value pairs generally have the form <literal>key=value</literal>, 
with the exception of localized strings, which have the form 
<literal>key[locale]=value</literal>, with a locale identifier of the form
<literal>lang_COUNTRY@MODIFIER</literal> where <literal>COUNTRY</literal> and 
<literal>MODIFIER</literal> are optional. Space before and after the 
'=' character are ignored. Newline, tab, carriage return and backslash 
characters in value are escaped as \n, \t, \r, and \\, respectively. 
To preserve leading spaces in values, these can also be escaped as \s.
</para>

<para>
Key files can store strings (possibly with localized variants), integers,
booleans and lists of these. Lists are separated by a separator character,
typically ';' or ','. To use the list separator character in a value in
a list, it has to be escaped by prefixing it with a backslash.
</para>

<para>
This syntax is obviously inspired by the <filename>.ini</filename> 
files commonly met on Windows, but there are some important differences:
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
<filename>.ini</filename> files use the ';' character to begin comments,
 key files use the '#' character.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Key files do not allow for ungrouped keys meaning only comments can precede the first group.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Key files are always encoded in UTF-8.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Key and Group names are case-sensitive, for example a group called
<literal>[GROUP]</literal> is a different group from <literal>[group]</literal>.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
<filename>.ini</filename> files don't have a strongly typed boolean entry type, they only
have <literal>GetProfileInt</literal>. In <structname>GKeyFile</structname> only
<literal>true</literal> and <literal>false</literal> (in lower case) are allowed.
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>

<para>
Note that in contrast to the
<ulink url="http://freedesktop.org/Standards/desktop-entry-spec">Desktop
Entry Specification</ulink>, groups in key files may contain the same
key multiple times; the last entry wins. Key files may also contain
multiple groups with the same name; they are merged together.
Another difference is that keys and group names in key files are not
restricted to ASCII characters.
</para>

<!-- ##### SECTION See_Also ##### -->
<para>

</para>

<!-- ##### SECTION Stability_Level ##### -->


<!-- ##### SECTION Image ##### -->


<!-- ##### STRUCT GKeyFile ##### -->
<para>
The <structname>GKeyFile</structname> struct contains only private fields
and should not be used directly.
</para>


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_ERROR ##### -->
<para>
Error domain for key file parsing. Errors in this domain will
be from the #GKeyFileError enumeration. See #GError for information on 
error domains.
</para>



<!-- ##### ENUM GKeyFileError ##### -->
<para>
Error codes returned by key file parsing.
</para>

@G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ENCODING: the text being parsed was in an unknown encoding
@G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_PARSE: document was ill-formed
@G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_NOT_FOUND: the file was not found
@G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_KEY_NOT_FOUND: a requested key was not found
@G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_GROUP_NOT_FOUND: a requested group was not found
@G_KEY_FILE_ERROR_INVALID_VALUE: a value could not be parsed

<!-- ##### ENUM GKeyFileFlags ##### -->
<para>
Flags which influence the parsing.
</para>

@G_KEY_FILE_NONE: No flags, default behaviour
@G_KEY_FILE_KEEP_COMMENTS: Use this flag if you plan to write the (possibly modified)
  contents of the key file back to a file; otherwise all comments will be lost when
  the key file is written back.
@G_KEY_FILE_KEEP_TRANSLATIONS: Use this flag if you plan to write the (possibly modified)
  contents of the key file back to a file; otherwise only the translations for the current
  language will be written back.

<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_new ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@void: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_free ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_list_separator ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@separator: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_load_from_file ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@file: 
@flags: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_load_from_data ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@data: 
@length: 
@flags: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_load_from_data_dirs ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@file: 
@full_path: 
@flags: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_load_from_dirs ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@file: 
@search_dirs: 
@full_path: 
@flags: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_to_data ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@length: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_start_group ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_groups ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@length: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_keys ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@length: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_has_group ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_has_key ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_value ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_string ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_locale_string ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@locale: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_boolean ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_integer ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_int64 ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_uint64 ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_double ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_string_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@length: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_locale_string_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@locale: 
@length: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_boolean_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@length: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_integer_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@length: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_double_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@length: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_get_comment ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_value ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@value: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_string ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@string: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_locale_string ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@locale: 
@string: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_boolean ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@value: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_integer ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@value: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_int64 ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@value: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_uint64 ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@value: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_double ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@value: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_string_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@list: 
@length: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_locale_string_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@locale: 
@list: 
@length: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_boolean_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@list: 
@length: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_integer_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@list: 
@length: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_double_list ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@list: 
@length: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_set_comment ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@comment: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_remove_group ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_remove_key ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_key_file_remove_comment ##### -->
<para>

</para>

@key_file: 
@group_name: 
@key: 
@error: 
@Returns: 


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP ##### -->
<para>
The name of the main group of a desktop entry file, as defined in the
<ulink url="http://freedesktop.org/Standards/desktop-entry-spec">Desktop
Entry Specification</ulink>. Consult the specification for more
details about the meanings of the keys below.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_TYPE ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a string giving the type of the desktop entry. Usually
<link linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-TYPE-APPLICATION:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_TYPE_APPLICATION</literal></link>,
<link linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-TYPE-LINK:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_TYPE_LINK</literal></link>, or
<link linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-TYPE-DIRECTORY:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_TYPE_DIRECTORY</literal></link>.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_VERSION ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a string giving the version of the Desktop
Entry Specification used for the desktop entry file.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_NAME ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a localized string giving the specific name of the
desktop entry.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_GENERIC_NAME ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a localized string giving the generic name of the
desktop entry.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_NO_DISPLAY ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a boolean stating whether the desktop entry should be
shown in menus.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_COMMENT ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a localized string giving the tooltip for the desktop
entry.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_ICON ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a localized string giving the name of the icon to be
displayed for the desktop entry.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_HIDDEN ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a boolean stating whether the desktop entry has been
deleted by the user.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_ONLY_SHOW_IN ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a list of strings identifying the environments that
should display the desktop entry.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_NOT_SHOW_IN ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a list of strings identifying the environments that
should not display the desktop entry.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_TRY_EXEC ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a string giving the file name of a binary on disk
used to determine if the program is actually installed. It is only
valid for desktop entries with the <literal>Application</literal>
type.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_EXEC ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a string giving the command line to execute. It is only
valid for desktop entries with the <literal>Application</literal>
type.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_PATH ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a string containing the working directory to run the
program in. It is only valid for desktop entries with the
<literal>Application</literal> type.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_TERMINAL ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a boolean stating whether the program should be
run in a terminal window. It is only valid for desktop entries with
the <literal>Application</literal> type.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_MIME_TYPE ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a list of strings giving the MIME types supported
by this desktop entry.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_CATEGORIES ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a list of strings giving the categories in which the
desktop entry should be shown in a menu.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_STARTUP_NOTIFY ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a boolean stating whether the application supports
the <ulink
url="http://www.freedesktop.org/Standards/startup-notification-spec">Startup
Notification Protocol Specification</ulink>.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_STARTUP_WM_CLASS ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is string identifying the WM class or name hint of a
window that the application will create, which can be used to emulate
Startup Notification with older applications.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_URL ##### -->
<para>
A key under <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-GROUP:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_GROUP</literal></link>
whose value is a string giving the URL to access. It is only valid
for desktop entries with the <literal>Link</literal> type.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_TYPE_APPLICATION ##### -->
<para>
The value of the <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-KEY-TYPE:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_TYPE</literal></link>
key for desktop entries representing applications.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_TYPE_LINK ##### -->
<para>
The value of the <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-KEY-TYPE:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_TYPE</literal></link>
key for desktop entries representing links to documents.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


<!-- ##### MACRO G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_TYPE_DIRECTORY ##### -->
<para>
The value of the <link
linkend="G-KEY-FILE-DESKTOP-KEY-TYPE:CAPS"><literal>G_KEY_FILE_DESKTOP_KEY_TYPE</literal></link>
key for desktop entries representing directories.
</para>

@Since: 2.14


