xref: /freebsd/contrib/libucl/doc/lua_api.md (revision 15c433351f54e7cd5bec8d36c8e89e6a7fa55b26)
1## Module `ucl`
2
3This lua module allows to parse objects from strings and to store data into
4ucl objects. It uses `libucl` C library to parse and manipulate with ucl objects.
5
6Example:
7
8~~~lua
9local ucl = require("ucl")
10
11local parser = ucl.parser()
12local res,err = parser:parse_string('{key=value}')
13
14if not res then
15	print('parser error: ' .. err)
16else
17	local obj = parser:get_object()
18	local got = ucl.to_format(obj, 'json')
19end
20
21local table = {
22  str = 'value',
23  num = 100500,
24  null = ucl.null,
25  func = function ()
26    return 'huh'
27  end
28}
29
30
31print(ucl.to_format(table, 'ucl'))
32-- Output:
33--[[
34num = 100500;
35str = "value";
36null = null;
37func = "huh";
38--]]
39~~~
40
41###Brief content:
42
43**Functions**:
44
45> [`ucl_object_push_lua(L, obj, allow_array)`](#function-ucl_object_push_lual-obj-allow_array)
46
47> [`ucl.to_format(var, format)`](#function-uclto_formatvar-format)
48
49
50
51**Methods**:
52
53> [`parser:parse_file(name)`](#method-parserparse_filename)
54
55> [`parser:parse_string(input)`](#method-parserparse_stringinput)
56
57> [`parser:get_object()`](#method-parserget_object)
58
59
60## Functions
61
62The module `ucl` defines the following functions.
63
64### Function `ucl_object_push_lua(L, obj, allow_array)`
65
66This is a `C` function to push `UCL` object as lua variable. This function
67converts `obj` to lua representation using the following conversions:
68
69- *scalar* values are directly presented by lua objects
70- *userdata* values are converted to lua function objects using `LUA_REGISTRYINDEX`,
71this can be used to pass functions from lua to c and vice-versa
72- *arrays* are converted to lua tables with numeric indicies suitable for `ipairs` iterations
73- *objects* are converted to lua tables with string indicies
74
75**Parameters:**
76
77- `L {lua_State}`: lua state pointer
78- `obj {ucl_object_t}`: object to push
79- `allow_array {bool}`: expand implicit arrays (should be true for all but partial arrays)
80
81**Returns:**
82
83- `{int}`: `1` if an object is pushed to lua
84
85Back to [module description](#module-ucl).
86
87### Function `ucl.to_format(var, format)`
88
89Converts lua variable `var` to the specified `format`. Formats supported are:
90
91- `json` - fine printed json
92- `json-compact` - compacted json
93- `config` - fine printed configuration
94- `ucl` - same as `config`
95- `yaml` - embedded yaml
96
97If `var` contains function, they are called during output formatting and if
98they return string value, then this value is used for ouptut.
99
100**Parameters:**
101
102- `var {variant}`: any sort of lua variable (if userdata then metafield `__to_ucl` is searched for output)
103- `format {string}`: any available format
104
105**Returns:**
106
107- `{string}`: string representation of `var` in the specific `format`.
108
109Example:
110
111~~~lua
112local table = {
113  str = 'value',
114  num = 100500,
115  null = ucl.null,
116  func = function ()
117    return 'huh'
118  end
119}
120
121
122print(ucl.to_format(table, 'ucl'))
123-- Output:
124--[[
125num = 100500;
126str = "value";
127null = null;
128func = "huh";
129--]]
130~~~
131
132Back to [module description](#module-ucl).
133
134
135## Methods
136
137The module `ucl` defines the following methods.
138
139### Method `parser:parse_file(name)`
140
141Parse UCL object from file.
142
143**Parameters:**
144
145- `name {string}`: filename to parse
146
147**Returns:**
148
149- `{bool[, string]}`: if res is `true` then file has been parsed successfully, otherwise an error string is also returned
150
151Example:
152
153~~~lua
154local parser = ucl.parser()
155local res,err = parser:parse_file('/some/file.conf')
156
157if not res then
158	print('parser error: ' .. err)
159else
160	-- Do something with object
161end
162~~~
163
164Back to [module description](#module-ucl).
165
166### Method `parser:parse_string(input)`
167
168Parse UCL object from file.
169
170**Parameters:**
171
172- `input {string}`: string to parse
173
174**Returns:**
175
176- `{bool[, string]}`: if res is `true` then file has been parsed successfully, otherwise an error string is also returned
177
178Back to [module description](#module-ucl).
179
180### Method `parser:get_object()`
181
182Get top object from parser and export it to lua representation.
183
184**Parameters:**
185
186	nothing
187
188**Returns:**
189
190- `{variant or nil}`: ucl object as lua native variable
191
192Back to [module description](#module-ucl).
193
194
195Back to [top](#).
196
197