Pretty print

billy2

I'm trying to write a simple feature script and got caught up on pretty printing maps. I wrote a simple function that parses the returned data and formats it into a readable structure. Below is a listing of the pretty print function.

</code>//pretty print</pre><pre class="CodeBlock"><code>
export function p(s)
{
    var str = splitIntoCharacters(toString(s));
    var i = 0; //indent
    var c; //cnt
    var t = "  "; //tab

    // println(size(str));

    for (c = 0; c < size(str); c += 1)
    {

        if (str[c] == "{")
        {
            print(str[c]);
            print("\n");
            i += 1;
            for (var a = 0; a < i; a += 1)
                print(t);
        }

        if (str[c] == "[")
        {
            print("\n");
            for (var a = 0; a < i; a += 1)
                print(t);
            print(str[c]);
            print("\n");
            i += 1;
            for (var a = 0; a < i; a += 1)
                print(t);
        }

        if (str[c] == "}")
        {
            i -= 1;
            print("\n");
            for (var a = 0; a < i; a += 1)
                print(t);
            print(str[c]);
        }

        if (str[c] == "]")
        {
            i -= 1;
            print("\n");
            for (var a = 0; a < i; a += 1)
                print(t);
            print(str[c]);
        }

        if (str[c] == ",")
        {
            print(str[c]);
            print("\n");
            for (var a = 0; a < i; a += 1)
                print(t);
        }

        if (str[c] != "{" && str[c] != "}" && str[c] != "[" && str[c] != "]" && str[c] != "," && str[c] != " ")
            print(str[c]);
    }
    println();
}

Below is displaying 2 simple maps. The 1st is a standard string based representation of the map. The 2nd is the same map except it's pretty printed showing the structure of the map.


Below is a more complex map showing both the simple & the pretty version of the map.


The problem comes when you're trying to access something inside the map. Without pretty print, it's hard to create an accessor to a value contained inside the map.

JSON has the same issues when working with an API. Javascript has many string -> object and object -> string operators and it's easy to create pretty print so you can understand an objects structure.

There may be better ways to understand the structure from a response in the FS console, if there is a better pattern, please let me know.

MichaelPascoe

Legit! I will use this for sure.

NeilCooke

Thanks Billy! I was also going to do this but didn't get around to it.

billy2

Thanks guys, I've already found it helpful with understanding what OS is returning. I tend to look for the [] brackets knowing that these are lists and then trying to figure out if I can use the list. I'm already collecting a list of faces and able to dance through them trying to determine if I can work on them.

xTimRice

Super helpful! All this time I’ve just been struggling through the block of text 😂

eric_pesty

That was one of my (many!) major pain points during my brief foray into API stuff!
This would have helped and will keep it in mind if I find myself messing around with the API for sure!

_anton

Very nice! To make it slightly more concise, without stringification: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/eb712303e88373103a085b5c/w/fedd55f887653eb812cf1613/e/5b9dfee9d3b70a36176bd8c5

billy2

@_anton I like it, can we make it standard vs. a function call?

_anton

Our internal process involves oodles of code review and testing, so, to prioritize any Onshape change, the formal way is to file an improvement request.

(If this makes it into the FS standard library, it will probably end up as a function in string.fs, same as println.)