More JSON Tools!
================

This set of modules solves three problems:

-  We want to iterate over massive JSON easily (``mo_json.stream``)
-  A bijection between strictly typed JSON, and dynamic typed JSON.
-  Flexible JSON parser to handle comments, and other forms
-  JSON encoding is slow (``mo_json.encode``)

Running tests
-------------

::

    pip install -r tests/requirements.txt
    set PYTHONPATH=.    
    python.exe -m unittest discover tests

Module Details
--------------

Method ``mo_json.value2json()``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Convert a ``dict``, list, or primitive value to a utf-8 encoded JSON
string.

Method ``mo_json.json2value()``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Convert a utf-8 encoded string to a data structure

Method ``mo_json.scrub()``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remove, or convert, a number of objects from a structure that are not
JSON-izable. It is faster to ``scrub`` and use the default (aka c-based)
python encoder than it is to use ``default`` serializer that forces the
use of an interpreted python encoder.

--------------

Module ``mo_json.stream``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A module that supports queries over very large JSON strings. The overall
objective is to make a large JSON document appear like a hierarchical
database, where arrays of any depth, can be queried like tables.

Limitations
^^^^^^^^^^^

This is not a generic streaming JSON parser. It is only intended to
breakdown the top-level array, or object for less memory usage.

-  **Array values must be the last object property** - If you query into
   a nested array, all sibling properties found after that array must be
   ignored (must not be in the ``expected_vars``). The code will raise
   an exception if you can not extract all expected variables.

--------------

Method ``mo_json.stream.parse()``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Will return an iterator over all objects found in the JSON stream.

**Parameters:**

-  **json** - a parameter-less function, when called returns some number
   of bytes from the JSON stream. It can also be a string.
-  **path** - a dot-delimited string specifying the path to the nested
   JSON. Use ``"."`` if your JSON starts with ``[``, and is a list.
-  **expected\_vars** - a list of strings specifying the full property
   names required (all other properties are ignored)

Common Usage
^^^^^^^^^^^^

The most common use of ``parse()`` is to iterate over all the objects in
a large, top-level, array:

::

    parse(json, path=".", required_vars=["."]}

For example, given the following JSON:

::

    [
        {"a": 1},
        {"a": 2},
        {"a": 3},
        {"a": 4}
    ]

returns a generator that provides

::

    {"a": 1}
    {"a": 2}
    {"a": 3}
    {"a": 4}

Examples
^^^^^^^^

**Simple Iteration**

::

    json = {"b": "done", "a": [1, 2, 3]}
    parse(json, path="a", required_vars=["a", "b"]}

We will iterate through the array found on property ``a``, and return
both ``a`` and ``b`` variables. It will return the following values:

::

    {"b": "done", "a": 1}
    {"b": "done", "a": 2}
    {"b": "done", "a": 3}

**Bad - Property follows array**

The same query, but different JSON with ``b`` following ``a``:

::

    json = {"a": [1, 2, 3], "b": "done"}
    parse(json, path="a", required_vars=["a", "b"]}

Since property ``b`` follows the array we're iterating over, this will
raise an error.

**Good - No need for following properties**

The same JSON, but different query, which does not require ``b``:

::

    json = {"a": [1, 2, 3], "b": "done"}
    parse(json, path="a", required_vars=["a"]}

If we do not require ``b``, then streaming will proceed just fine:

::

    {"a": 1}
    {"a": 2}
    {"a": 3}

**Complex Objects**

This streamer was meant for very long lists of complex objects. Use
dot-delimited naming to refer to full name of the property

::

    json = [{"a": {"b": 1, "c": 2}}, {"a": {"b": 3, "c": 4}}, ...
    parse(json, path=".", required_vars=["a.c"])

The dot (``.``) can be used to refer to the top-most array. Notice the
structure is maintained, but only includes the required variables.

::

    {"a": {"c": 2}}
    {"a": {"c": 4}}
    ...

**Nested Arrays**

Nested array iteration is meant to mimic a left-join from parent to
child table; as such, it includes every record in the parent.

::

    json = [
        {"o": 1: "a": [{"b": 1}: {"b": 2}: {"b": 3}: {"b": 4}]},
        {"o": 2: "a": {"b": 5}},
        {"o": 3}
    ]
    parse(json, path=[".", "a"], required_vars=["o", "a.b"])

The ``path`` parameter can be a list, which is used to indicate which
properties are expected to have an array, and to iterate over them.
Please notice if no array is found, it is treated like a singleton
array, and missing arrays still produce a result.

::

    {"o": 1, "a": {"b": 1}}
    {"o": 1, "a": {"b": 2}}
    {"o": 1, "a": {"b": 3}}
    {"o": 1, "a": {"b": 4}}
    {"o": 2, "a": {"b": 5}}
    {"o": 3}

**Large top-level objects**

Some JSON is a single large object, rather than an array of objects. In
these cases, you can use the ``items`` operator to iterate through all
name/value pairs of an object:

::

    json = {
        "a": "test",
        "b": 2,
        "c": [1, 2]
    }
    parse(json, {"items":"."}, {"name", "value"})   

produces an iterator of

::

    {"name": "a", "value":"test"} 
    {"name": "b", "value":2} 
    {"name": "c", "value":[1,2]} 

--------------

Module ``typed_encoder``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One reason that NoSQL documents stores are wonderful is their schema can
automatically expand to accept new properties. Unfortunately, this
flexibility is not limitless; A string assigned to property prevents an
object being assigned to the same, or visa-versa. This flexibility is
under attack by the strict-typing zealots; who, in their self righteous
delusion, believe explicit types are better. They make the lives of
humans worse; as we are forced to toil over endless schema
modifications.

This module translates JSON documents into "typed" form; which allows
document containers to store both objects and primitives in the same
property. This also enables the storage of values with no containing
object!

The typed JSON has a different form than the original, and queries into
the documents store must take this into account. This conversion is
intended to be hidden behind a query abstraction layer that can
understand this format.

How it works
^^^^^^^^^^^^

There are three main conversions:

1. Primitive values are replaced with single-property objects, where the
   property name indicates the data type of the value stored:

   {"a": true} -> {"a": {":sub:`b`\ ": true}} {"a": 1 } -> {"a":
   {":sub:`n`\ ": 1 }} {"a": "1" } -> {"a": {":sub:`s`\ ": "1" }}

2. JSON objects get an additional property, ``~e~``, to mark existence.
   This allows us to query for object existence, and to count the number
   of objects.

   {"a": {}} -> {"a": {}, ":sub:`e`\ ": 1}

3. JSON arrays are contained in a new object, along with ``~e~`` to
   count the number of elements in the array:

   {"a": [1, 2, 3]} -> {"a": { ":sub:`e`\ ": 3, ":sub:`N`\ ":[
   {":sub:`n`\ ": 1}, {":sub:`n`\ ": 2}, {":sub:`n`\ ": 3} ] }} Please
   notice the sum of ``a.~e~`` works for both objects and arrays;
   letting us interpret sub-objects as single-value nested object
   arrays.

Function ``typed_encode()``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Accepts a ``dict``, ``list``, or primitive value, and generates the
typed JSON that can be inserted into a document store.

Function ``json2typed()``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Converts an existing JSON unicode string and returns the typed JSON
unicode string for the same.

--------------

Module ``mo_json.encode``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Function: ``mo_json.encode.json_encoder()``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--------------

**Update Mar2016** - *PyPy version 5.x appears to have improved C
integration to the point that the C library callbacks are no longer a
significant overhead: This pure Python JSON encoder is no longer faster
than a compound C/Python solution.*

Fast JSON encoder used in ``convert.value2json()`` when running in Pypy.
Run the
`speedtest <https://github.com/klahnakoski/pyLibrary/blob/dev/tests/speedtest_json.py>`__
to compare with default implementation and ujson
