def parsePinstFile(filename):
    """Reads the supplied file and returns the information as a dictionary"""
    try:
        # Open the file to read its contents
        pinstFile = open(filename, 'r')

        # Initalize a dictionary to return
        PinstDict = {}

        # Loop through each line of the file
        for line in pinstFile:
            # Check if this line has some valuable information
            if (line[0:3] != 'HIST') and ('=' in line):
                # Split the line at the equal sign
                splitLine = line.split('=')

                # Parse the split line
                key = splitLine[0].strip()

                # Split on the forward slash
                value, comment = splitLine[1].split('/')

                # Convert the value into a float (ignore comment for now)
                value = float(value)

                # Add this key, value pair to the dictionary
                PinstDict[key] = value

    except:
        raise

    return PinstDict