source: trunk/ToBeReviewed/STRING/string2struct.pro @ 18

function too_cool,_extra=extra
;
; This is a really, really cool way to turn keywords into
; a structure.
;
return,extra
end

function string2struct,strVal
;+
; NAME:
;       stringToStructure
;
; PURPOSE:
;       Takes an input string set up as keywords and returns an anonymous structure.
;               This is particularly useful for taking keywords entered by a user in a text
;               field and passing then to other routines.
;
; CATEGORY:
;       Utility
;
; CALLING SEQUENCE:
;       extra=stringToStructure('xrange=[0,10],linestyle=2')
;       plot,findgen(100),_extra=extra
;
; INPUTS:
;       String set up as keywords. Keywords require a little special treatment. Such as
;       plot,findgen(100),_extra=stringToStructure('title="testing"')
;
; KEYWORD PARAMETERS:
;
;       None
;
; OUTPUTS:
;       This function returns the string as an anonymous structure. If an
;       error was found then this function returns a structure with a null field.
;
; COMMON BLOCKS:
;       None.
;
; EXAMPLE:
;       The code below creates a widget that uses this routine.
;       pro tPlot,event
;       widget_control,event.top,get_uvalue=field
;       widget_control,field,get_value=strVal
;       extra = stringToStructure(strVal)
;       plot,findgen(100),_extra=extra
;       wshow
;       return
;       end
;
;       pro testWid
;       ;enter any keyword to plot and see how it works
;       base = widget_base(/col)
;       field = cw_field(base,title='test',value='ax=0',/string)
;       void = widget_button(base,value='plot',event_pro='tPlot')
;       widget_control,base,/realize,set_uvalue=field
;       xmanager,'testWid',base,/no_block
;       return
;       end
;
; MODIFICATION HISTORY:
;       Written by:
;       RLK, Ronn Kling Consulting.
;       ronn@rlkling.com
;       www.rlkling.com
;               May, 1999
;-

r = execute('extra = too_cool(' + strVal[0] +')')
;if r = 0 then user did not enter keywords correctly so
;return a structure with a null field.
if r eq 0 then begin
  print,'Error in input string'
  return,{null:0}
endif
return,extra
end