Syck - "C" YAML implementation /w Python binding

[Clark C. Evans]

I just wanted to pass along a note that there is now a (quite 
stable) "C" YAML implementation with a Python binding.   It is not
perfect, however, it is useable and quite fast.

Best,

Clark

------------------------------------------------------------
From: why the lucky stiff <yaml-core at whytheluckystiff.net>
To: yaml-core at lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: [Yaml-core] Syck 0.35 + YAML.rb 0.60 -- the 1st stable release
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 15:16:40 -0600

proudly announcing...

                   | syck 0.35 |
                        \o/
                         ))
                        / \

(some intentional sticking-out of the belly is warranted, don't you
think?)

The ruby-core team has been immensely helpful, contributing bug reports
that have helped polish out Syck very quickly.  I'm pleased to say that
Syck has now surpassed previous versions of YAML.rb.  It is very stable 
and very fast.

This version handles large files, especially streaming of large files,
much better.  YTS is 85% pass.  Some of the fails are (I believe)
incorrect tests.  We'll get into that soon.

If you have Ruby 1.8.0, simply update from Ruby CVS.  If you have Ruby
1.6.x, then install Syck from the tarball link below.

The Python and PHP extensions haven't changed at all (though they
benefit from the wealth of changes to the Syck core.)  When Ruby 1.8.0
is released, I'll be hitting those extensions harder.

_why

---
released: { name: Syck, version: 0.35 }
for: [ Ruby, PHP, Python ]
by: why the lucky stiff
about: >

  Syck is a YAML parser, an extension for scripting
  languages, written in C.  

  So what is YAML?  YAML is a new language for data.
  Describe objects in plain text.  Load the data into
  your scripting language as arrays, dictionaries,
  classes, or primitives.

links:
  YAML: http://www.yaml.org/
  YAML Cookbook: http://yaml4r.sf.net/cookbook/
  YAML Type Repository: http://yaml.org/type/
  YAML Specification: http://yaml.org/spec/
  Syck: http://www.whytheluckystiff.net/syck/
  Syck Benchmarks: http://www.whytheluckystiff.net/arch/2003/03/19
  Tarball @ SourceForge: >
      http://aleron.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/yaml4r/syck-0.35.tar.gz

status: >

  Syck is about 85% compliant with the YAML spec.  Largely, small
  issues remain.

  The extensions are quite usable.  Ruby, PHP and Python
  can load from a string containing YAML.

  Ruby has support for stream loading, type handling, YPath, Okay.
  This release marks the 0.60 release of YAML.rb.

benchmarks: >

  Syck is quite speedy, although not as swift as most language's
  native serialization.

  Syck runs at about:

  30-35% of the speed of Ruby's Marshal.
  35-90% of the speed of PHP's deserialize().
  600% of the speed of Python's Pickle.
  33-40% of the speed of Python's cPickle.

  (Based on various types of structured data.)

installation: >

  Syck contains working extensions for the Ruby, PHP, and Python
  languages.  Each requires compilation of the libsyck library,
  followed by compilation of the extension.

  To compile libsyck, first download libsyck.

    tar xzvf syck-0.35.tar.gz
    cd syck-0.35
    ./configure
    make
    sudo make install

  To install the Ruby extension:

    cd ext/ruby
    ruby install.rb config
    ruby install.rb setup
    sudo ruby install.rb install

  To install the Python extension:

    cd ext/python
    python setup.py build
    sudo python setup.py install

  To install the PHP extension:

    sh make_module.sh
    sudo make install (if you weren't root during make_module.sh)
    php -q syck.php

examples:

  To load this document in Ruby: |

     ($:~)$ irb
     >> require 'syck'
     => true
     >> yp = YAML::Syck::Parser.new( {} )
     => #<YAML::Syck::Parser:0x8058530>
     >> yp.load( File.open( 'syck-0.35.yml' ) )
     => {"status"=>"Syck is about 60% compliant ..."}

  To load this document in PHP: |

     ($:~)$ php -a
     Interactive mode enabled

     <? dl( 'syck.so' ); print_r( syck_load( implode( '', file( 'syck-0.35.yml' ) ) ) ); ?>
  
     .. php then outputs ..

     X-Powered-By: PHP/4.2.3
     Content-type: text/html
     
     Array
     (   
         [released] => Array
             (   
                 [name] => Syck
                 [version] => 0.35
             )

     .. and so on ..

  To load this document in Python: |

     ($:~)$ python
     Python 2.1.3 (#1, Jul 11 2002, 17:52:24) 
     [GCC 2.95.3 20010315 (release) [FreeBSD]] on freebsd4
     Type "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
     >>> import syck
     >>> f = open( 'syck-0.35.yml' )
     >>> syck.load( f.read() )
     {'by': 'why the lucky stiff', ... }