--- a/engine/python/fife/extensions/fife_settings.py	Tue Sep 21 20:49:08 2010 +0000
+++ b/engine/python/fife/extensions/fife_settings.py	Wed Sep 22 14:05:33 2010 +0000
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
 		screen_height = settings.get("FIFE", "ScreenHeight", 768)
 	"""
 
-	def __init__(self, app_name="", settings_file="", settings_gui_xml="", changes_gui_xml="", copy_dist=True):
+	def __init__(self, app_name="", settings_file="", settings_gui_xml="", changes_gui_xml="", copy_dist=True, serializer=None):
 		"""
 		Initializes the Setting object.
 
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@
 		of the settings dialog box.
 		@param copy_dist: Copies the settings-dist.xml file to the settings_file location.  If
 		this is False it will create a new empty xml file.
+		@param serializer: Overrides the default XML serializer
+		@type serializer: C{SimpleSerializer}
 
 		"""
 		self._app_name = app_name
@@ -113,8 +115,6 @@
 		# Holds SettingEntries
 		self._entries = {}
 		
-		self._xmlserializer = None
-
 		if self._settings_file == "":
 			self._settings_file = "settings.xml"
 			self._appdata = getUserDataDirectory("fife", self._app_name)
@@ -141,9 +141,14 @@
 		#Used to stylize the options gui
 		self._gui_style = "default"
 
-		#Initialize the XML serializer
-		self.loadSettings()
-
+		#Initialize the serializer
+		if serializer:
+			self._serializer = serializer
+		else:
+			self._serializer = SimpleXMLSerializer()
+	
+		self._serializer.load(os.path.join(self._appdata, self._settings_file))
+		
 		self._initDefaultSettingEntries()
 
 	def _initDefaultSettingEntries(self):
@@ -198,13 +203,10 @@
 			print "WARNING:", entry.module, ":", entry.name, "still not found!"
 			print "It's probably missing in settings-dist.xml as well!"
 
-	def loadSettings(self):
-		self._xmlserializer = SimpleXMLSerializer(os.path.join(self._appdata, self._settings_file))
-
 	def saveSettings(self):
 		""" Writes the settings to the settings file """
-		if self._xmlserializer:
-			self._xmlserializer.save()
+		if self._serializer:
+			self._serializer.save()
 
 	def get(self, module, name, defaultValue=None):
 		""" Gets the value of a specified setting
@@ -214,8 +216,8 @@
 		@param defaultValue: Specifies the default value to return if the setting is not found
 		@type defaultValue: C{str} or C{unicode} or C{int} or C{float} or C{bool} or C{list} or C{dict}
 		"""
-		if self._xmlserializer:
-			return self._xmlserializer.get(module, name, defaultValue)
+		if self._serializer:
+			return self._serializer.get(module, name, defaultValue)
 		else:
 			return None
 	
@@ -230,8 +232,8 @@
 		@param extra_attrs: Extra attributes to be stored in the XML-file
 		@type extra_attrs: C{dict}
 		"""
-		if self._xmlserializer:
-			self._xmlserializer.set(module, name, value, extra_attrs)
+		if self._serializer:
+			self._serializer.set(module, name, value, extra_attrs)
 
 	def setGuiStyle(self, style):
 		""" Set a custom gui style used for the option dialog.
@@ -333,7 +335,7 @@
 		"""
 		shutil.copyfile('settings-dist.xml', os.path.join(self._appdata, self._settings_file))
 		self.changesRequireRestart = True
-		self.loadSettings()
+		self.initSerializer()
 		#self._showChangeRequireRestartDialog()
 
 		#if self.OptionsDlg:

--- a/engine/python/fife/extensions/serializers/simplexml.py	Tue Sep 21 20:49:08 2010 +0000
+++ b/engine/python/fife/extensions/serializers/simplexml.py	Wed Sep 22 14:05:33 2010 +0000
@@ -34,7 +34,28 @@
 </Settings>
 """
 
-class SimpleXMLSerializer(object):
+class SimpleSerializer(object):
+	"""
+	Use this as a base class for custom setting loaders/savers to use with the Setting class.
+	"""
+	
+	def __init__(self, filename=None):
+		pass
+		
+	def get(self, module, name, defaultValue=None):
+		pass
+		
+	def set(self, module, name, value, extra_attrs={}):
+		pass
+
+	def load(self, filename=None):
+		pass
+		
+	def save(self, filename=None):
+		pass
+		
+
+class SimpleXMLSerializer(SimpleSerializer):
 	"""
 	This class is a simple interface to get and store data in XML files.
 
@@ -49,8 +70,7 @@
 		self._tree = None
 		self._root_element = None
 		
-		if self._file:
-			self.load(self._file)
+		self._initialized = False
 		
 	def load(self, filename=None):
 		"""
@@ -58,6 +78,9 @@
 		
 		Raises a SerializerError exception if the file is not specified.
 		
+		@param filename: The file to load
+		@type filename: C{str}
+		
 		@note: If the file does not exist it will automatically create a blank file for you.
 		"""
 		if filename:
@@ -79,8 +102,15 @@
 		"""
 		Saves the XML file.
 		
+		@param filename: The file to save
+		@type filename: C{str}
+		
 		@note: This Overwrites the file if it exists.
 		"""
+		if not self._initialized:
+			self.load()	
+			self._initialized = True
+		
 		if filename:
 			savefile = filename
 		else:
@@ -102,6 +132,10 @@
 		@param defaultValue: Specifies the default value to return if the variable is not found
 		@type defaultValue: C{str} or C{unicode} or C{int} or C{float} or C{bool} or C{list} or C{dict}
 		"""
+		if not self._initialized:
+			self.load()
+			self._initialized = True
+		
 		if not isinstance(name, str) and not isinstance(name, unicode):
 			raise AttributeError("SimpleXMLSerializer.get(): Invalid type for name argument.")
 
@@ -162,6 +196,10 @@
 		@param extra_attrs: Extra attributes to be stored in the XML-file
 		@type extra_attrs: C{dict}
 		"""
+		if not self._initialized:
+			self.load()
+			self._initialized = True
+		
 		if not isinstance(name, str) and not isinstance(name, unicode):
 			raise AttributeError("SimpleXMLSerializer.set(): Invalid type for name argument.")