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From: Chris Smith <space DOT dandy AT icloud DOT com>
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Subject: Re: [geda-user] Using Lua to safely read configuration and layout
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Message-id: <C26D592D-04B1-4AB0-9F32-6D5A537EBAF4@icloud.com>
Date: Sun, 08 Feb 2015 17:44:45 +0000
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> On 8 Feb 2015, at 17:09, John Doty <jpd AT noqsi DOT com> wrote:
> 
>> On Feb 8, 2015, at 9:41 AM, Chris Smith <space DOT dandy AT icloud DOT com> wrote:
>> Yes! And that's the main point to using Lua for the data format. The data file _is_ the internal representation.
> 
> In Lua’s representation. Not as a Scheme data structure. You have exactly the same problem the C implementation has: you must expose the data through a Scheme API. You’re not really solving any problems, just torquing the design to fit your Lua prejudice.

I had thought getting rid of Scheme was one of the design goals, and in my view that is solving a problem. :)

Joking aside, the issue is that the gschem format isn't native to any language, and anything that uses it must parse it for it to be of any use. Any application parser (as shown by the netlister) is usually incomplete, because it's considered a waste of effort to parse features that you don't think people will want and it's difficult to predict how people will use it. By using a well defined format like Lua, /everything/ is parsed and made available because it /has/ to be.

Am I biased towards Lua? Yes, I'll admit that, but only because I have researched this before and wholeheartedly believe it is the right tool for the job.

Chris