Python program to generate .dbm file for use with Apache RewriteMap

dbm_generate.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
#
# dbm_generate.py

'''Script to generate a .dbm file able to be used by Apache RewriteMap directive. Point it to the text file that contains the key/value pairs. This file must contain no empty lines, nor comments (though the code below should avoid that).

It may also be possible to use this file as a template to read any current .dbm files and make mods, versus generating anew each time.
'''

import dbm
import re

def main():
    # set up pattern to ignore comments and whitespaces
    pattern = re.compile('^#|^\s|^\n|^\r')

    # read in our set of keys/values from the file
    # this file is of form :
    # <key> <value>
    # ex:
    # apply_now http://rinky-dink.com/apply-now
    
    filename = 'rewrite.txt'
    f = open(filename,'r')

    # create our dbm object
    my_dbm = dbm.open('rewrite.dbm', 'n')
    
    
    for line in f:
        # strip trailing whitespace
        line = line.strip()
        # if we don't match our pattern, go to work on the 
        if not re.match(pattern, line):
            #print line
            (source, target) = line.split()
            print '######'
            print source
            print target

            # append the key and value to the dbm file
            my_dbm[source] = target

    # print out the keys of our dbm file
    # to confirm functionality. 
    print my_dbm.keys()

    # REMEMBER, the 'dbm' file is actually *two* files.
    # Copy both (.pag and .dir) to target directory, but 
    # refer to the 'rewrite.dbm' filepath inside of httpd.conf
    
if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()