code: def read_params(filename, asheader=False, verbosity=0) -> Dict[str, Union[int, float, bool, str, None]]:
      
      filename = str(filename)  # allow passing pathlib.Path objects
      from collections import OrderedDict
      params = OrderedDict([])
      for line in open(filename):
          if '=' in line:
              if not asheader or line.startswith('#'):
                  line = line[1:] if line.startswith('#') else line
                  key, val = line.split('=')
                  key = key.strip()
                  val = val.strip()
                  params[key] = convert_string(val)
      return params
docs: Read parameter dictionary from text file.
  
      Assumes that parameters are specified in the format:
          par1 = value1
          par2 = value2
  
      Comments that start with '#' are allowed.
  
      Parameters
      ----------
      filename : str, Path
          Filename of data file.
      asheader : bool, optional
          Read the dictionary from the header (comment section) of a file.
  
      Returns
      -------
      Dictionary that stores parameters.