YAML interpretation

[Karan Rajput]

I have one array in ruby as,

arr= [1, 2, '5', 'one', 'two', 'three', "4,6"]

as after doing arr.to_yaml, it prints as,

---
- 1
- 2
- "5"
- one
- two
- three
- "4,6"

This is my problem. It shows "4,6" as string (double-quoted) and
(one,two) are non-quoted which itself as string. I am passing this
string to some else database program which need clear distinction
between string and integer.

I require the result set as,

---
- 1
- 2
- "5"
- "one"
- "two"
- "three"
- "4,6"




Does yaml have any provision so that i can achieve the result set in
above consistent format?

 

[Ryan Davis]

I have one array in ruby as,

arr= [1, 2, '5', 'one', 'two', 'three', "4,6"]

as after doing arr.to_yaml, it prints as,

---
- 1
- 2
- "5"
- one
- two
- three
- "4,6"

This is my problem. It shows "4,6" as string (double-quoted) and
(one,two) are non-quoted which itself as string. I am passing this
string to some else database program which need clear distinction
between string and integer.

I require the result set as,

---
- 1
- 2
- "5"
- "one"
- "two"
- "three"
- "4,6"

Does yaml have any provision so that i can achieve the result set in
above consistent format?

yaml only provides the extra characters when the result would be
ambiguous. "- one" can't be seen as anything other than an array
element with the string one in it. "- 4,6" is ambiguous, so yaml
provides the extra quotes to disambiguate. I suggest you use a real
yaml parser instead of relying on regexps and duct tape. The spec is
well written and very clear about such things.

 

[Karan Rajput]

yaml only provides the extra characters when the result would be
ambiguous. "- one" can't be seen as anything other than an array
element with the string one in it. "- 4,6" is ambiguous, so yaml
provides the extra quotes to disambiguate. I suggest you use a real
yaml parser instead of relying on regexps and duct tape. The spec is
well written and very clear about such things.

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for suggestion. But I am not clear about real yaml parser. As i
am using yaml package in ruby.

Could you please elaborate?

 

[brabuhr]

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for suggestion. But I am not clear about real yaml parser. As i
am using yaml package in ruby.

What is the other person's database program using to process the file?
("regexps and duct tape" or "a real yaml parser")

 

[Ryan Davis]

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for suggestion. But I am not clear about real yaml parser. As i
am using yaml package in ruby.

Could you please elaborate?

As you said: "I am passing this string to some else database program
which need clear distinction between string and integer"

SOMEONE is not using a real yaml parser... since yaml DOES have a
clear distinction between strings and integers.

 

[Karan Rajput]

What is the other person's database program using to process the file?
("regexps and duct tape" or "a real yaml parser")

Other database program expecting only the string, like,

---
- 1
- 2
- "5"
- "one"
- "two"
- "three"
- "4,6"

Its treats as the "string", not the "yaml string".

 

[Ryan Davis]

Other database program expecting only the string, like,

---
- 1
- 2
- "5"
- "one"
- "two"
- "three"
- "4,6"

Its treats as the "string", not the "yaml string".

then the database program is wrong. the yaml is correct. you should
fix what is wrong, not what is correct.