+/**
+ * Split an input text into a key and value respectively ('=' separator).
+ *
+ * @param[in] text Writeable copy of the input text, gets modified.
+ * @param[out] key Position of the keyword.
+ * @param[out] val Position of the value.
+ *
+ * TODO In theory the returned key/value locations could be const pointers.
+ * Which even would be preferrable. Unfortunately most call sites deal with
+ * glib hashes, and their insert API seriously lacks the const attribute.
+ * So we drop it here as well to avoid clutter at callers'.
+ */
+static void split_key_value(char *text, char **key, char **val)
+{
+ char *k, *v;
+ char *pos;
+
+ if (key)
+ *key = NULL;
+ if (val)
+ *val = NULL;
+ if (!text || !*text)
+ return;
+
+ k = text;
+ v = NULL;
+ pos = strchr(k, '=');
+ if (pos) {
+ *pos = '\0';
+ v = ++pos;
+ }
+ if (key)
+ *key = k;
+ if (val)
+ *val = v;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create hash table from colon separated key-value pairs input text.
+ *
+ * Accepts input text as it was specified by users. Splits the colon
+ * separated key-value pairs and creates a hash table from these items.
+ * Optionally supports special forms which are useful for different CLI
+ * features.
+ *
+ * Typical form: <key>=<val>[:<key>=<val>]*
+ * Generic list of key-value pairs, all items being equal. Mere set.
+ *
+ * ID form: <id>[:<key>=<val>]*
+ * First item is not a key-value pair, instead it's an identifier. Used
+ * to specify a protocol decoder, or a device driver, or an input/output
+ * file format, optionally followed by more parameters' values. The ID
+ * part of the input spec is not optional.
+ *
+ * Optional ID: [<sel>=<id>][:<key>=<val>]*
+ * All items are key-value pairs. The first item _may_ be an identifier,
+ * if its key matches a caller specified key name. Otherwise the input
+ * text is the above typical form, a mere list of key-value pairs while
+ * none of them is special.
+ *
+ * @param[in] arg Input text.
+ * @param[in] sep_first Boolean, whether ID form is required.
+ * @param[in] key_first Keyword name if optional ID is applicable.
+ *
+ * @returns A hash table which contains the key/value pairs, or #NULL
+ * when the input is invalid.
+ */
+GHashTable *parse_generic_arg(const char *arg,
+ gboolean sep_first, const char *key_first)