Lulu Arrays — Stringification

Introduction

If you have imported the lulu.Array class as

local Array = require 'lulu.Array'

then you can convert Array instances to strings using these methods:

Array:inline()
Returns a one-line string representation of self. This is the default method used by print and friends.

Array:pretty()
Returns a “pretty” multiline string representation of self.

Array:alt()
Returns a alternate, slightly more compact, “pretty” multiline string representation of self.

Array:classic()
Returns a “classic” multiline string representation of self.

Array:inline_json()
Returns a one-line “JSON” string representation of self.

Array:json()
Returns a “JSON” multiline string representation of self.

The class also points the standard Lua tostring method at Array.inline which means that the print method and friends all automatically use self:inline() to turn an Array into a string where needed.

These methods use the facilities in the lulu.scribe module and can handle an Array instance with cycles and self references.

Example: Simple Arrays

local fruits = Array{'Apple', 'Pear', 'Banana'}
print("Inline Format:", fruits:inline())
print("Pretty Format:", fruits:pretty())
print("Alt Format:")
print(fruits:alt())

Output: Simple Arrays

Inline Format:  [ "Apple", "Pear", "Banana" ]
Pretty Format:  [ "Apple", "Pear", "Banana" ]
Alt Format:
"Apple",
"Pear",
"Banana"

Another Example

local a = Array{{1,2,3}, {4,5,6}}
print("Inline Format:", a:inline())
print("Pretty Format:")
print(a:pretty())

Output

Inline Format:  [ [ 1, 2, 3 ], [ 4, 5, 6 ] ]
Pretty Format:
[
    [ 1, 2, 3 ],
    [ 4, 5, 6 ]
]

An Example with a Cycle

local a, b = Array{1,2,3}
1a[4] = a
print("Inline Format:", a:inline())

1

We add a fourth elements to a that is a (spurious) self-reference.

Output

Inline Format:  <table> = [ 1, 2, 3, <table> ]

See Also

lulu.scribe