Generating data from INI configuration files

generate_from_config.py

from configparser import ConfigParser

def generate_data(filename, name):
    """This function read parameters from an ini file and generates data depending on the 'dtype' option."""
    config = ConfigParser()
    config.read(filename)
    mode = config.get(name, "mode", fallback="discrete")
    dtype = config.get(name, "dtype", fallback="string")
    if mode == "discrete":
        if dtype == "int":
            values = map(int, config.get(name, "values").split(","))
        elif dtype == "float":
            values = map(float, config.get(name, "values").split(","))
        else:
            values = map(str, config.get(name, "values").split(","))
    elif mode == "step":
        if dtype == "int":
            start = config.getint(name, "start")
            stop = config.getint(name, "stop")
            step = config.getint(name, "step")
        elif dtype == "float":
            start = config.getfloat(name, "start")
            stop = config.getfloat(name, "stop")
            step = config.getfloat(name, "step")
        else:
            raise ValueError("dtype key of either 'int' or 'float' must exist.")
        stop = round(stop + step, 14)  # increment stop for inclusive range and round off floating point error
        values = frange(start, stop, step)
    return values

def frange(start, stop=None, step=None):
    """This provides a floating point range function is both positive and negative directions"""
    if stop is None:
        stop = start
        start = 0
    if step is None:
        step = 1
    i = start
    while True:
        if step > 0 and i >= stop:
            break
        elif step < 0 and i <= stop:
            break
        yield i
        i = round(i + step, 14) # round off floating point rounding error

mydata_config.ini

[discrete_float]
mode = discrete
dtype = float
values = 1.04,1.1,1.16

[step_integer]
mode = step
dtype = int
start = 10
stop = 100
step = 10

[step_float]
mode = step
dtype = float
start = 0
stop = -0.1
step = -0.02

[character]
values = A,B,C