JEmplode would require a JVM to run on and I don't know if there is a JVM available for the ARM platform for the Empeg - someone who knows could correct me.

Re: comments on Symbolic names and a 'offline' tool to manage config.ini - in theory it sounds like a nice idea - the problem is that any solution I create would be in VB for Windows only. Someone else will then likely do something else for Java [ala JEmplode] and someone else again may well come up with some command line tool to do it another way.
And suddenly we have 3 tools doing the same thing and without making the readability of config.ini 1 iota better.

Let me state right now - I fully understand how valuable Kernel memory is.

My suggestion is that the symbolic map table remembered only until the subsituations have been done on the real ir maps in a straight text match and replace type arrangement.

I assume the symbolic map is stored in a malloc'ed block (or whatever the kernel has for this) and then once the token replacements have been done, this block of information is free()'d and forgotten about til next boot.
It takes up no more memory once token substitution has occured than maps using raw Hex codes as now - but its a lot more human readable and therefore (a) less prone to mistakes and errors and (b) can easily be remapped.

That way the only cost is a small block of memory [8KB max] and ONLY during the initial first 1 off parse of the ir_map section in config.ini.

I don't think you need to put Built-ins (i.e. standard symbolic keynames) in the Kernel - they can be defined in the Symbolic names section in config.ini (& we could include a full list of them so folks can cut & paste the full list into their config.ini's if needed) and since only those symbolic names that are actual are reference in any map are ever used in a match & replace routine it doesn't matter, except for a small amount of CPU to read in and store for a short period the symbolic names and value pairs and some memory to store them until the match & replace routine is done.

Also note - I'm offering you a Sony Stalk control and the loan of a tuner if needed to complete the Stalk stuff as well - thats how badly I want this feature and the Stalk stuff.