//The actual config file:

define host{
        use             wireless-client
        host_name       Joe-Hammer
        alias           Joe Hammer
        address         10.0.0.13
        }


################################

// the pertinent code where $s is a single line from fgets()
...

$v=preg_split("/[\s,]+/", $s); // What do I put in here to survive the space in the alias?

if(isset($v[0]) && isset($v[1])){
	$var=ltrim(rtrim($v[0]));
	$val=ltrim(rtrim($v[1]));
}

$contents[$datatype][$current_host][$var]=$val;

....

################################

// The [desired] result

            [0] => Array
                (
                    [use] => wireless-client
                    [host_name] => Joe-Hammer
                    [alias] => Joe Hammer
                    [address] => 10.0.0.13
                )

// So far, I get it all except the space in the alias kills things and drops the last name.