ExMapping 0.0.2

ExMapping

A simple, general users-facing(especially for those who do not understand JSON format) format designed to represent mappings with string-type keys and values.

Usage

TBD

For example,

key1=value1
key2=value2
key3!=value4
key4!==value3

parses to

{
    "key1": "value1", 
    "key2": "value2", 
    "key3!": "value4", 
    "key4!": "=value3"
}

Reserved words

=

• Used to separate key and value
• the spaces near the sign is not ignored
• Any equal signs after the first one will be ignored
• When = is the first character, an empty key is used Example:

  key1=value1
  key2=value2=value3, value4
  key3 = = = value3
  =empty
  

  is parsed to

  {
      "key1": "value1"
      "key2": "value2=value3, value4"
      "key3 ": " = = value3"
      "": "empty"
  }
  

#

• Used to ignore everything on the line as the first character (mark the current line as a comment) Example:

  # this is an example of file format
  # key1=value1
  key2=value2
  

  is parsed to

  {
      "key2": "value2"
  }
  

\

• Used as an escape character in key values
• Supports any reserved characters defined here and \n, \r, \t, \f, \b, \xdd and \udddd
• Both \ and \\ are parsed as \ Examples: \#key\=value=value=value ⇒ { "#key=value": "value=value" } \#key\\==value ⇒ { "#key\\": "=value" }

$

• As the first character, concatenates the current line with a return character to the previous line with a =

&

• As the first character, concatenates the current line without a return character to the previous line with a =
• If there is at least one non-space character and no = in a line, the line is parsed as $ concatenated with the line's content
• When there is no pervious key, a key $"LINE{i}" is generated where i is the current line number
  • If the key is previously defined and key conflict is ignored in this case, an incremental key is used (otherwise the value of the key is to be overwritten) Example:

  
  
  hello?
  longText=
  &line1
  $=line2
  $$line3
   and its tail
  noKeyText=
  
  
  # there are 10 space characters in the next line
  
  what the hell?
  

  is parsed to

  {
      "#LINE3": "hello?"
      "longText": "line1\n=line2\n$line3\n and its tail"
      "noKeyText": "\nwhat the hell?"
  }