Ini.NET

Ini.NET is a client library that provides an easy way to deserialize .ini files into .NET objects.

Install

Install via NuGet: https://www.nuget.org/packages/IniDotNet/

Getting started

Ini.NET deserializes .ini files into plain old .NET objects using the IniConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(string) method. Here is a trivial example:

    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string contents = @"
[General]
Key = qwerty
EnableThing = True
";

            Config cfg = IniConvert.DeserializeObject<Config>(contents);
            Console.WriteLine(cfg.General.Key);
        }
    }

    public class Config
    {
        public GeneralConfig General { get; private set; }
    }

    public class GeneralConfig
    {
        public string Key { get; private set; }
        public bool EnableThing { get; private set; }
    }

Deserialize .ini section to a different property name

Use the [IniSection] attribute. If your .ini section is called [FooBar] but want it mapped to a .NET property called General:

    public class Config
    {
        [IniSection("FooBar")]
        public GeneralConfig General { get; private set; }
    }

    public class GeneralConfig
    {
        public string Key { get; private set; }
        public bool EnableThing { get; private set; }
    }

Deserialize .ini field to a different property name

Use the [IniProperty] attribute. If you have a field in your [General] section called SpecialKey but want it mapped to the Key property:

    public class Config
    {
        public GeneralConfig General { get; private set; }
    }

    public class GeneralConfig
    {
        [IniProperty("SpecialKey")]
        public string Key { get; private set; }
        public bool EnableThing { get; private set; }
    }

Deserialize .ini value to a .NET list

Use the [IniListProperty]. Specify the delimeter used to separate the values:

    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string contents = @"
[General]
MenuItems = Milkshake,Fries,Burger,Ice cream,Cake
";

            Config cfg = IniConvert.DeserializeObject<Config>(contents);
            foreach (string menuItem in cfg.General.MenuItems)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(menuItem);
            }
        }
    }

    public class Config
    {
        public GeneralConfig General { get; private set; }
    }

    public class GeneralConfig
    {
        [IniListProperty(",")]
        public List<string> MenuItems { get; private set; }
    }

Custom deserialization

You can write your own IniConverter for types not supported out-the-box with Ini.NET.

    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string contents = @"
[General]
# seconds
Delay = 30
";

            Config cfg = IniConvert.DeserializeObject<Config>(contents);
            Console.WriteLine(cfg.General.Delay);
        }
    }

    public class Config
    {
        public GeneralConfig General { get; private set; }
    }

    public class GeneralConfig
    {
        [IniConverter(typeof(SecondsToTimeSpanConverter))]
        public TimeSpan Delay { get; private set; }
    }

    public class SecondsToTimeSpanConverter : IniConverter
    {
        public override object ConvertFromString(string stringValue)
        {
            return TimeSpan.FromSeconds(int.Parse(stringValue));
        }
    }

I am getting an exception about "no parameterless constructor" / "missing set method"!

Ini.NET currently requires classes to have a parameterless constructor and properties with a set/private set (i.e. C# 6's getter-only properties are not supported). There is an open issue (#1) about this.

innix/ini-dot-net