[utils] Add method to convert dict-like vectors of strings to maps

The function takes a dictionary (Python-like or a flat JSON file content)
represented as a flat vector of strings that contain key-value pairs into
a map of pairs of strings.

Author: cbentejac

src/aliceVision/utils/convert.hpp

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <iomanip>
+#include <map>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 
@@ -20,5 +21,53 @@ inline std::string toStringZeroPadded(std::size_t i, std::size_t zeroPadding)
     return ss.str();
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief Converts a flat vector of strings representing key-value pairs
+ *        into a std::map of string-to-string.
+ *
+ * @param dict A vector of strings where each pair of elements (i, i+1)
+ *             represents a key and value, possibly with formatting characters.
+ * @return std::map<std::string, std::string> A map containing cleaned key-value pairs.
+ *
+ * @code
+ * std::vector<std::string> dict = {"{key1:", "value1,", "key2:", "value2}"};
+ * auto result = dictStringToStringMap(dict);
+ * // result => { {"key1", "value1"}, {"key2", "value2"} }
+ * @endcode
+ */
+inline std::map<std::string, std::string> dictStringToStringMap(std::vector<std::string> dict)
+{
+    std::map<std::string, std::string> stringMap;
+
+    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < dict.size(); i += 2)
+    {
+        std::string keyString = std::string(dict[i]);
+        std::string valueString = std::string(dict[i + 1]);
+
+        if (keyString[0] == '{')
+        {
+            keyString = keyString.substr(1, keyString.size() - 1);
+        }
+        if (keyString[keyString.size() - 1] == ':')
+        {
+            keyString = keyString.substr(0, keyString.size() - 1);
+        }
+
+        if (valueString[valueString.size() - 1] == ',' || valueString[valueString.size() - 1] == '}')
+        {
+            valueString = valueString.substr(0, valueString.size() - 1);
+        }
+
+        // Ensure both strings are not empty after being parsed.
+        // If one of them is, do not add the pair to the map.
+        if (keyString.size() > 0 && valueString.size() > 0)
+        {
+            stringMap.insert(std::pair<std::string, std::string>(keyString, valueString));
+        }
+    }
+
+    return stringMap;
+}
+
 }  // namespace utils
 }  // namespace aliceVision