if (not os.path.exists(self.dir)):
                os.makedirs(self.dir)
           

        # store some configuration list/dict into a file                
        def save(self, name="settings", data=None, gz=0, nice=0):
            name = name + ".json"
            if (data == None):
                data = dict(self.__dict__)  # ANOTHER WORKAROUND: typecast to plain dict(), else json filter_data sees it as object and str()s it
                nice = 1
            # check for subdir
            if (name.find("/") > 0):
                subdir = name[0:name.find("/")]
                subdir = self.dir + "/" + subdir
                if (not os.path.exists(subdir)):

        # retrieve data from config file            
        def load(self, name):
            name = name + ".json"
            file = self.dir + "/" + name
            try:
                # .gz or normal file
                if os.path.exists(file + ".gz"):
                    f = gzip.open(file + ".gz", "r")
                elif os.path.exists(file):
                    f = open(file, "r")
                else:
                    return # file not found
                # decode
                r = json.load(f)
                f.close()
                return r
            except Exception as e:
                print("PSON parsing error (in "+name+")", e)
            

        # recursive dict update
        def update(self, with_new_data):
            for key,value in with_new_data.items():
                if type(value) == dict:
                    self[key].update(value)

#
#


""" project status """
#
# The application runs mostly stable. The GUI interfaces are workable.

# There haven't been any optimizations regarding memory usage and
# performance. The current internal API is acceptable. Documentation is
# coming up.
#
#  current bugs:
#   - audio- and list-format support is not very robust / needs better API
#   - lots of GtkWarning messages
#   - not all keyboard shortcuts work
#   - in-list search doesn't work in our treeviews (???)
#   - JSON files are only trouble: loading of data files might lead to more
#     errors now, even if pson module still falls back on old method
#     (unicode strings from json.load are useless to us, require typecasts)
#     (nonsupport of tuples led to regression in mygtk.app_restore)
#     (sometimes we receive 8bit-content, which the json module can't save)
#
#  features:
#   - treeview lists are created from datamap[] structure and stream{} dicts
#   - channel categories are built-in defaults (can be freshened up however)
#   - config vars and cache data get stored as JSON in ~/.config/streamtuner2/
#
#  missing:

#     to read the config data -> limited risk, since it's only local files
#   - HIGH RISK: no verification of downloaded favicon image files (ico/png),
#     as they are passed to gtk.gdk.Pixbuf (OTOH data pre-filtered by Google)
#   - MEDIUM: audio players / decoders are easily affected by buffer overflows
#     from corrupt mp3/stream data, and streamtuner2 executes them
#      - but since that's the purpose -> no workaround
#
#  still help wanted on:
#   - any of the above
#   - new plugins (local file viewer)
#   - nicer logo (or donations accepted to consult graphics designer)
#



# standard modules
import sys
import os, os.path
import re