snippets/steps/main.go

package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strconv"
	"strings"
)

type step struct {
	Destinations []string
	Delay        int
}

type steps []step

func parseSteps(in string) (result steps) {
	stepsStr := strings.Split(in, ",")
	for _, stepStr := range stepsStr {
		if len(stepStr) == 0 {
			fmt.Printf("An empty step, skipping.")
			continue
		}
		stepParts := strings.Split(stepStr, ":")
		delay := 0
		if len(stepParts) >= 2 {
			var err error
			delay, err = strconv.Atoi(stepParts[1])
			if err != nil {
				panic(fmt.Errorf("Got error while parsing delay in string \"%v\": %v", stepStr, err.Error))
			}
		}
		result = append(result, step{
			Destinations: strings.Split(stepParts[0], "&"),
			Delay:        delay,
		})
	}

	return
}

func main() {
	steps := parseSteps("a&b&c:4,b&c&d:2,a")
	fmt.Printf("%v\n", steps)
}