diff --git a/lib/getconf.php b/lib/getconf.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3189ae8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/getconf.php
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+<?php
+
+function getConf(&$conf,&$confFP) {
+	$errors=[];
+	$nconf=[];
+	$buff=@file($confFP,FILE_IGNORE_NEW_LINES|FILE_SKIP_EMPTY_LINES);
+	if ($buff===false) dieYoung("Error: could not read configuration file «$confFP}».\n",1);
+	$i=0;
+	foreach ($buff as $line) {
+		$i++;
+		if ($line[0]!=='#') {
+			if (preg_match('#^([^=]+)=(.+)$#',$line,$matches)===1) {
+				$matches[1]=trim($matches[1]);
+				$matches[2]=trim($matches[2]);
+				if (array_key_exists($matches[1],$conf))
+					$nconf[$matches[1]]=$matches[2];
+				else
+					$errors[]="line {$i}: «{$matches[1]}» is an unknown key";
+			} else {
+				$errors[]="could not interpret line {$i} («{$line}»)";
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	//print_r($nconf);
+	foreach ($conf as $key=>$val) {
+		if ($conf[$key]['required'] && !array_key_exists($key,$nconf))
+			$errors[]="«{$key}» is not defined";
+		if (array_key_exists($key,$nconf))
+			$conf[$key]=$nconf[$key];
+		else
+			$conf[$key]=$conf[$key]['default'];
+	}
+	$errorsCount=count($errors);
+	if ($errorsCount>0) {
+		fwrite(STDERR,"Sorry, there are errors in configuration file «{$confFP}»:\n");
+		for ($i=1; $i<=$errorsCount; $i++)
+			fwrite(STDERR," {$i}. {$errors[$i-1]}\n");
+		fwrite(STDERR,"Use «-h» or «--help» to display help.\n");
+		exit(1);
+	}
+}
+
+?>