access.read=1,2,3::
access.write=1,2::
access.modify=1,2::
access.manage=1::
somethingelse=10101

	function readConfigString($cnf){
		// is the input valid
		$out = array();
		if(!is_null($cnf) && is_string($cnf)){
			// clean up the input 
			$cnf = trim($cnf);
			if(substr($cnf,-2) == '::'){
				$cnf = substr($cnf,0,(strlen($cnf) - 2));
			}
			// breakdown the lines
			$lines = split('::',$cnf);
			foreach($lines as $line=>$data){
				$valSets = split('=',$data);
				if(strpos($valSets[0],".") > 1){
					$names = split("\.",$valSets[0]);
					$fname = trim(strtolower($names[0]));
					foreach($names as $id=>$name){
						$name = trim(strtolower($name));
						if($name != $fname){
							if(strpos($valSets[1],",") > 0){
								$out[$fname][$name] = split(",",$valSets[1]);
							}else{
								$out[$fname][$name] = $valSets[1];
							}
						}
					}	
				}else{
					$name = trim($valSets[0]);
					if(strpos($valSets[1],",") > 0){
						$out[$name] = split(",",$valSets[1]);
					}else{
						$out[$name] = trim($valSets[1]);
					}
				}
			}
		}
		return $out;
	}

level1.level2a.level3=10::
level1.level2b=20

Array(
         [level1] => Array(
                                    [level2a] => 10
                                    [level3] => 10
                                    [level2b] =>20
                                    )
         )

$config = array(
  "access" => array(
    'read' => array(1,2,3),
    'write' => array(1,2),
    'modify' => array(1,2)
    'manage' => 1
  ),
  "somethingelse" => 10101
);

$config = array(
      "access" => array(
      'read' => array(1,2,3),
      'write' => array(1,2),
      'modify' => array(1,2)
      'manage' => 1
      ),
      "somethingelse" => 10101
      );

$string = "level1.level2a.level3=10";
 
list($combinedKey, $value) = split('=', $string);
$keys = split('\.', $combinedKey);
 
$command = '$config["'.join('"]["', $keys).'"] = $value;';
eval($command);
 
var_dump($config);