Methods and systems for constructing and interpreting hierarchical configuration files

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for setting a first parameter's value based on at least one initialization file, the at least one initialization file containing sections, at least one of the sections containing a parameter/value pair, the method comprising:

• selecting sections of the at least one initialization file;
• specifying an order of precedence among the selected sections of the at least one initialization file;
• and
• setting the first parameter's value to a value in a parameter/value pair in a selected section having the highest specified precedence of those selected sections that contain a parameter/value pair containing the first parameter.

A system for setting a first parameter's value, the system comprising:

• at least one initialization file, the at least one initialization file containing sections, at least one of the sections containing a parameter/value pair;
• a first rule selecting sections of the at least one initialization file;
• a second rule specifying an order of precedence among the selected sections of the at least one initialization file;
• and
• a processing system that applies the second rule to sections selected by the first rule to set the first parameter's value to a value in a parameter/value pair in a selected section having the highest specified precedence of those selected sections that contain a parameter/value pair containing the first parameter.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for implementing a system for setting a first parameter's value, the system comprising:

• at least one initialization file, the at least one initialization file containing sections, at least one of the sections containing a parameter/value pair;
• a first rule selecting sections of the at least one initialization file;
• a second rule specifying an order of precedence among the selected sections of the at least one initialization file;
• and
• a processing system that applies the second rule to sections selected by the first rule to set the first parameter's value to a value in a parameter/value pair in a selected section having the highest specified precedence of those selected sections that contain a parameter/value pair containing the first parameter.

A method for producing a resultant initialization file from at least two input initialization files, the input initialization files each containing at least one section containing at least one parameter/value pair, the sections having names, the method comprising:

• specifying an order of precedence of the at least two input initialization files;
• copying an input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files into the resultant initialization file;
• and
• for each input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files other than the input initialization file copied to the resultant initialization file,
• for each section in the input initialization file whose name does not correspond to a name of a section in the resultant initialization file, creating a section in the resultant initialization file with a name corresponding to the name of the section;
• and
• for each parameter/value pair in a section in the input initialization file whose parameter does not correspond to a parameter in a parameter/value pair in a corresponding section in an input initialization file with precedence higher than that of the input initialization file, copying the parameter/value pair into a corresponding section in the resultant initialization file and, if the parameter in the parameter/value pair corresponds to a parameter in another parameter/value pair in the corresponding section in the resultant initialization file, deleting the other parameter/value pair.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for producing a resultant initialization file from at least two input initialization files, the input initialization files each containing at least one section containing at least one parameter/value pair, the sections having names, the method comprising:

• specifying an order of precedence of the at least two input initialization files;
• copying an input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files into the resultant initialization file;
• and
• for each input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files other than the input initialization file copied to the resultant initialization file,
• for each section in the input initialization file whose name does not correspond to a name of a section in the resultant initialization file, creating a section in the resultant initialization file with a name corresponding to the name of the section;
• and
• for each parameter/value pair in a section in the input initialization file whose parameter does not correspond to a parameter in a parameter/value pair in a corresponding section in an input initialization file with precedence higher than that of the input initialization file, copying the parameter/value pair into a corresponding section in the resultant initialization file and, if the parameter in the parameter/value pair corresponds to a parameter in another parameter/value pair in the corresponding section in the resultant initialization file, deleting the other parameter/value pair.

A method for producing a resultant initialization file from at least two input initialization files, the input initialization files each containing at least one section containing at least one parameter/value pair, the sections having names, the method comprising:

• specifying an order of precedence of the at least two input initialization files;
• copying an input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files into the resultant initialization file;
• and
• for each input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files other than the input initialization file copied to the resultant initialization file,
• for each section in the input initialization file whose name does not correspond to a name of a section in the resultant initialization file, creating a section in the resultant initialization file with a name corresponding to the name of the section;
• and
• for each parameter/value pair in a section in the input initialization file whose parameter does not correspond to a parameter in a parameter/value pair copied into a corresponding section of the resultant initialization file from an input initialization file with precedence higher than that of the input initialization file, copying the parameter/value pair into the corresponding section in the resultant initialization file and, if the parameter in the parameter/value pair corresponds to a parameter in another parameter/value pair in the corresponding section in the resultant initialization file, deleting the other parameter/value pair.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for producing a resultant initialization file from at least two input initialization files, the input initialization files each containing at least one section containing at least one parameter/value pair, the sections having names, the method comprising:

• specifying an order of precedence of the at least two input initialization files;
• copying an input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files into the resultant initialization file;
• and
• for each input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files other than the input initialization file copied to the resultant initialization file,
• for each section in the input initialization file whose name does not correspond to a name of a section in the resultant initialization file, creating a section in the resultant initialization file with a name corresponding to the name of the section;
• and
• for each parameter/value pair in a section in the input initialization file whose parameter does not correspond to a parameter in a parameter/value pair copied into a corresponding section of the resultant initialization file from an input initialization file with precedence higher than that of the input initialization file, copying the parameter/value pair into the corresponding section in the resultant initialization file and, if the parameter in the parameter/value pair corresponds to a parameter in another parameter/value pair in the corresponding section in the resultant initialization file, deleting the other parameter/value pair.

A method for producing a resultant initialization file from at least two input initialization files, the input initialization files each containing at least one section containing at least one parameter/value pair, the sections having names, the method comprising:

• specifying an order of precedence of the at least two input initialization files;
• and
• for each input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files,
• for each section in the input initialization file whose name does not correspond to a name of a section in the resultant initialization file, creating a section in the resultant initialization file with a name corresponding to the name of the section;
• and
• for each parameter/value pair in a section in the input initialization file whose parameter does not correspond to a parameter in a parameter/value pair in a corresponding section in an input initialization file with precedence higher than that of the input initialization file, copying the parameter/value pair into a corresponding section in the resultant initialization file.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for producing a resultant initialization file from at least two input initialization files, the input initialization files each containing at least one section containing at least one parameter/value pair, the sections having names, the method comprising:

• specifying an order of precedence of the at least two input initialization files;
• and
• for each input initialization file of the at least two input initialization files,
• for each section in the input initialization file whose name does not correspond to a name of a section in the resultant initialization file, creating a section in the resultant initialization file with a name corresponding to the name of the section;
• and
• for each parameter/value pair in a section in the input initialization file whose parameter does not correspond to a parameter in a parameter/value pair in a corresponding section in an input initialization file with precedence higher than that of the input initialization file, copying the parameter/value pair into a corresponding section in the resultant initialization file.