String To Dict Problem

[Michael Spencer]

Kamilche wrote:
> Hi everyone. I'm trying to convert a string that looks like this:
> 
> gid = 'FPS', type = 'Label', pos = [0, 20], text = 'FPS', text2 = 'more
> text without quotes', fmtline = "@VALUE @SIGNAL", signals = [('FPS',
> None), ('FPS2', 'something')]
> 
> to a dict that looks like this:
> 
> {'signals': [('FPS', None), ('FPS2', 'something')], 'text': 'FPS',
> 'pos': [0, 20], 'text2': 'more text without quotes', 'gid': 'FPS',
> 'type': 'Label', 'fmtline': '@VALUE @SIGNAL'}
> 
> I've got a home-rolled routine that was 'good enough', until I added
> the list of tuples in there. Now it's failing. I have a hack to
> 'special case' it, but you know that will come up to bite me in the
> future.
> 
> Does anyone have a thought on how I can turn what are basically
> function keyword arguments in string form, to a dict, without using
> exec or eval?
> 
> --Kamilche
> 

http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/Recipe/364469

HTH

Michael