Re: Lua syntax ambiguity

Hi Martin.

I have been tracking this thread, and IMO, you are complicating things a lot.

I would personally just insert a space in places which could need it,
there are not that many, but if youMUST absolutely avoid extra
spaces...

On Wed, 19 Aug 2026 at 16:47, 'Martin Eden' via lua-l
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I think I found acceptable solution for handling this.
...
> Problem is that when serializing index in table ("[" serialize(key) "]"),
> serialize() can write something starting with "[" which will spoil
> index bracket.
> So we must know from what that next token will begin.
> So we need stream that has method to peek at output.
> And generally, when key node type is that problematic "string" --
> we call serialize() for that peekable sub-stream, peeking
> and it's first char, writing separator to main stream if needed,
> writing sub-stream data to main stream:

Have you considered changing serialize(key,stream) to
serialize(key,stream,context)? Extra parameter is IMO justified, and
can default to nil for the current behaviour, but in this case you can
pass, i.e., '[' as context when you are serializing a key and the
serialize function can then insert a space if it is going to emit a
'[[' string.

In fact, all my serialization functions are of the form
local function _serialize(data, context) ... lots of code probably
with some helper calls... end
local function serialize(data)
   local r = _serialize(data, INITIAL_CONTEXT)
   return some_function_probably_identity(r)
end

contexts, in my case, are rather complex, they include streams, a
state object to detect loops and duplicates, key path tracking info (
so I can patch recursive tables when I write things like lua source ),
indentation settings and states, what type of thing I am writing,
whatever is needed. And normally I have several published entry points
which use different contexts. But the pattern has served me well for a
long time in several languages.

Francisco Olarte.

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