some stuff; nothing really substantial and probably doesn't work, but I wanted to get this out on paper

core/config.py

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8  -*-
+
+## EarwigBot's Config File Parser
+
+from collections import defaultdict
+import ConfigParser as configparser
+import os
+
+main_cfg_path = os.path.join("config", "main.cfg")
+secure_cfg_path = os.path.join("config", "secure.cfg")
+
+config = dict()
+
+def load_config_file(filename):
+    parser = configparser.SafeConfigParser()
+    parser.optionxform = str # don't lowercase option names automatically
+    parser.read(filename)
+    return parser
+
+def make_new_config():
+    print "You haven't configured the bot yet!"
+    choice = raw_input("Would you like to do this now? [y/n] ")
+    if choice.lower().startswith("y"):
+        pass
+    else:
+        exit()
+
+def dump_config_to_dict(parsers):
+    global config
+    for parser in parsers:
+        for section in parser.sections():
+            for option in parser.options(section):
+                try:
+                    config[section][option] = parser.get(section, option)
+                except KeyError:
+                    config[section] = defaultdict(lambda: None)
+                    config[section][option] = parser.get(section, option)
+
+def load():
+    if not os.path.exists(main_cfg_path):
+        make_new_config()
+    
+    main_cfg = load_config_file(main_cfg_path)
+    secure_cfg = load_config_file(secure_cfg_path)
+    
+    dump_config_to_dict([main_cfg, secure_cfg])

core/main.py

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import os
 parent_dir = os.path.split(sys.path[0])[0]
 sys.path.append(parent_dir) # make sure we look in the parent directory for modules
 
-from config.main import *
+from core import config
 from irc import frontend, watcher
 from wiki import task_manager
 
@@ -96,10 +96,13 @@ def irc_frontend():
     f_conn.close()
     
 def run():
-    if enable_irc_frontend: # make the frontend run on our primary thread if enabled, and enable additional components through that function
+    config.load()
+    components = config.config["main"]
+    
+    if components["enable_irc_frontend"]: # make the frontend run on our primary thread if enabled, and enable additional components through that function
         irc_frontend()
     
-    elif enable_wiki_schedule: # the scheduler is enabled - run it on the main thread, but also run the IRC watcher on another thread if it is enabled
+    elif components["enable_wiki_schedule"]: # the scheduler is enabled - run it on the main thread, but also run the IRC watcher on another thread if it is enabled
         print "\nStarting wiki scheduler..."
         task_manager.load_tasks()
         if enable_irc_watcher:
@@ -109,7 +112,7 @@ def run():
             t_watcher.start()
         wiki_scheduler()
     
-    elif enable_irc_watcher: # the IRC watcher is our only enabled component, so run its function only and don't worry about anything else
+    elif components["enable_irc_watcher"]: # the IRC watcher is our only enabled component, so run its function only and don't worry about anything else
         irc_watcher()
         
     else: # nothing is enabled!