v1 many fixes, new api

Cargo.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "json_dotpath"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "1.0.0"
 authors = ["Ondřej Hruška <ondra@ondrovo.com>"]
 edition = "2018"
 license = "MIT"
@@ -16,3 +16,5 @@ categories = [
 serde = "1"
 serde_derive = "1"
 serde_json = "1"
+failure = "0.1.7"
+failure_derive = "0.1.7"

README.md

@@ -2,6 +2,23 @@
 
 Access members of nested JSON arrays and objects using "dotted paths".
 
+## Changes
+
+### 1.0.0
+
+The API changed to return `Result<Option<T>>` instead of panicking internally on error.
+The library is now much safer to use.
+ 
+Further, all logic has been adjusted to be more robust and consistent.
+
+Array append and prepend operators now use `<<` and `>>` instead of overloading `<` and `>`,
+which now work the same way in all array accesses (getting the first and last element). 
+
+## Dotted path
+
+Dotted path represents a path from the root of a JSON object to one of its nodes.
+Such path is represented by joining the object and array keys by dots:
+
 Consider this example JSON:
 
 ```json
@@ -14,90 +31,97 @@ Consider this example JSON:
 }
 ```
 
-The following can be used to access its parts:
+The following paths represent its parts:
-- `obj.dot_get("fruit")` ... get the fruits array
-- `obj.dot_get("fruit.0.name")` ... 0th fruit name, "lemon"
-- `obj.dot_get("fruit.>.color")` ... last fruit's color, "red"
 
-The JSON can also be manipulated:
+- `""` ... the whole object
+- `"fruit"` ... the fruits array
+- `"fruit.0"` ... the first fruit object, `{"name": "lemon", "color":  "yellow"}`
+- `"fruit.1.name"` ... the second (index is 0-based) fruit's name, `"apple"`
 
-- `obj.dot_take("fruit.1")` ... extract the "apple" object, removing it from the JSON
+Special patterns may be used for object manipulation as well (see below).
-- `obj.dot_set("fruit.<1", json!({"name":"plum","color":"blue"})` ... insert before the 1st element, shifting the rest
-- `obj.dot_set("fruit.>1", json!({"name":"plum","color":"blue"})` ... insert after the 1st element, shifting the rest
-- `obj.dot_set("fruit.>.name", "tangerine")` ... set the last fruit's name
-- `obj.dot_set("fruit.>", Value::Null)` ... append a JSON null
-- `obj.dot_set("fruit.<", true)` ... prepend a JSON true
-- `obj.dot_set("vegetables.onion.>", "aaa")` ... add `"vegetables": {"onion":["aaa"]}` to the outer object 
-  (the parent map and array are created automatically)
 
-Any serializable type or `serde_json::Value` can be stored to or retrieved from
+## Object operations
-the nested object (`Value::Object`, `Value::Array`, `Value::Null`).
- 
-Any value stored in the object can also be modified in place, without deserialization, 
-by getting a mutable reference (`dot_get_mut(path)`).
 
-This crate is useful for tasks such as working with dynamic JSON API payloads,
+Five principal methods are added by the `DotPaths` trait to `serde_json::Value`, 
-parsing config files, or building a polymorphic data store.
+`Vec<Value>` and `serde_json::Map<String, Value>` (the inner structs of `Value::Object` and `Value::Array`).
 
-## Supported Operations
+- `dot_get(path)` - get a value by path
+- `dot_get_mut(path)` - get a mutable reference to an element of the JSON object
+- `dot_set(path, value)` - set a new value, dropping the original (if any)
+- `dot_replace(path, value)` - set a new value, returning the original (if any)
+- `dot_take(path, value)` - remove a value by path, returning it (if any)
 
-### Object and Array
+`dot_set()` supports array manipulation syntax not found in the other methods, namely the 
-- Set (dropping the original value, if any)
+`>n` and `<n` pattern to insert an element before or after an index, shifting the rest of the `Vec`.
-- Remove (remove and drop a value)
-- Take (remove a value and deserialize it)
-- Replace (take and set)
-- Get (find & deserialize)
-- Get a mutable reference to a Value
 
-### Array
+### Additional convenience methods
-Array is an ordered sequence backed by a Vec. It has these additional operations:
 
-- Prepend
+- `dot_remove(path)` - remove a value by path
-- Append
+- `dot_get_or(path, def)` - get value, or a custom default
-- Insert, shifting the following elements
+- `dot_get_or_default(path)` - get value, or `Default::default()`
-- Get the last element
 
-### Null
+All methods are generic and take care of serializing and deserializing the stored / retrieved
-JSON null can become an array or object by setting it's members (even nested), as if it was an array or object.
+data. `dot_get_mut()` is an exception and returns `&mut Value`.
-It becomes an array or object of the appropriate type based on the root key.
 
-## Dotted Path Syntax
+`dot_set()` and `dot_remove()` do not deserialize the original object, which makes them more
+efficient than `dot_replace()` and `dot_take()` when the original value is not needed.
 
-### Map Patterns
+### Error reporting
 
-To avoid ambiguity, it's not allowed to use numeric keys (or keys starting with a number) 
+All methods return `Result<json_dotpath::Error, T>` (aliased to `json_dotpath::Result<T>`), 
-as map keys. Map keys must start with an ASCII letter or underscore and must not contain a dot (`.`).
+either as `json_dotpath::Result<()>`, or `json_dotpath::Result<Option<T>>` when a value is expected.
 
-Examples:
+These results should be handled carefully, as they report structural errors (meaning the requested operation
+could not be performed), or the path given was invalid.
 
-- `abc`
+### Dynamic object building
-- `_123`
-- `key with spaces`
 
-If a numeric key or a key nonconforming in other way must be used, prefix it with `#`. 
+When a path that does not exist but could (e.g. an appended array element, a new object key), and one of the assignment
-It will be taken literally as a string, excluding the prefix.
+methods or `dot_get_mut()` are used, this element will be created automatically, including its parent elements as needed.
 
-e.g. to get 456 from `{"foo":{"123":456}}`, use `foo.#123` instead of `foo.123`
+This is well illustrated in one of the unit tests:
+
+```rust
+let mut obj = Value::Null;
+let _ = obj.dot_get_mut("foo.0").unwrap(); // get mut, here only for side effects
+assert_eq!(json!({"foo": [null]}), obj);
+```
+ 
+Null can flexibly become an array or object in such situations (see "Special handling of Null" below).
+
+## Dotted Path Syntax
+
+Path is simply a sequence of path segment joined by periods (`.`).
+
+Some symbols are ascribed special meaning by the library, depending on the method they're used in.
+All symbols (including `.`) may be escaped using a backslash if their literal value is needed as part of the path.
 
 ### Array Patterns
 
 Array keys must be numeric (integer), or one of the special patterns listed below.
 
-- `-` ... prepend
+- `<` ... first element
-- `<` ... prepend (or get first)
+- `>` ... last element
-- `+` ... append
+- `-` or `<<` ... prepend
-- `>` ... append (or get last)
+- `+` or `>>` ... append
 - `<n`, e.g. `<5` ... insert before the n-th element
 - `>n`, e.g. `>5` ... insert after the n-th element
 
-### Path Examples
-
-- Empty path ... access the root element
-- `5` ... get the element `"five"` from `[0,1,2,3,4,"five"]`
-- `a.b.c` ... get `1` from `{ "a": { "b": { "c": 1 } } }`
-- `a.0.x` ... get `1` from `{ "a": [ { "x": 1 } ] }`
-
 It's possible to create nested arrays or objects by setting a non-existent path,
 provided the key syntax rules are maintained. 
 
 See unit tests for more examples.
+
+### Special handling of Null
+
+JSON null in an object can transparently become an array or object by setting it's members (even nested), 
+as if it was an empty array or object. Whether it should become an array or object depends on the key used to index into it.
+
+- numeric key turns null into an array (only `0` and the special array operators are allowed, 
+  as other numbers are out of range for an empty array)
+- any other key turns it into a map
+- any key starting with an escape creates a map as well (e.g. `\0.aaa` turns `null` into `{"0": {"aaa": …} }` )
+
+JSON null is considered an empty value and is transformed into `Ok(None)` when retrieved, as it can not be deserialized.
+
+Setting a value to `Value::Null` works as expected and places a JSON null in the object.