1 files changed, 45 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/tools/serialize.lua b/tools/serialize.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..57e0eb42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/serialize.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+
+local indent = function(i)
+	return string.rep("\t", i);
+end
+local function basicSerialize (o)
+	if type(o) == "number" or type(o) == "boolean" then
+		return tostring(o);
+	else -- assume it is a string -- FIXME make sure it's a string. throw an error otherwise.
+		return (string.format("%q", tostring(o)):gsub("\\\n", "\\n"));
+	end
+end
+local function _simplesave (o, ind, t)
+	if type(o) == "number" then
+		table.insert(t, tostring(o));
+	elseif type(o) == "string" then
+		table.insert(t, (string.format("%q", o):gsub("\\\n", "\\n")));
+	elseif type(o) == "table" then
+		table.insert(t, "{\n");
+		for k,v in pairs(o) do
+			table.insert(t, indent(ind));
+			table.insert(t, "[");
+			table.insert(t, basicSerialize(k));
+			table.insert(t, "] = ");
+			_simplesave(v, ind+1, t);
+			table.insert(t, ",\n");
+		end
+		table.insert(t, indent(ind-1));
+		table.insert(t, "}");
+	elseif type(o) == "boolean" then
+		table.insert(t, (o and "true" or "false"));
+	else
+		error("cannot serialize a " .. type(o))
+	end
+end
+local t_concat = table.concat;
+
+module "serialize"
+
+function serialize(o)
+	local t = {};
+	_simplesave(o, 1, t);
+	return t_concat(t);
+end
+
+return _M;