Had a look around on the Internet and found JFig
This allows you to set up XML files and then read the parameters using a construct like:
JFig.getInstance().getValue(sectionName, key)
So for XML like:
#section name="Section1"*
#entry key="key1" value="val1" /*
#/section*
use:
JFig.getInstance().getValue("Section1", "key1")
Neat - and saves me doing the parsing.
But then I discovered some other neat features e.g. you have have a hierarchy of XML files and some "inherit" others.
Also, you have have substitution values e.g.
#entry key="key2" value="[Section1]{key1}" /*
which allows you to define some "constants" at the beginning of the XML file and then JFig will replicate them through for you.
... where # = "<" and * = ">"
Very neat!
Useful article here. Another solution is to use Jakarta Commons Configuration but JFig is much simpler.
Enjoy!