From: "trans.  (T. Onoma)" <transami@...>
Date: 2004-11-02T12:46:38+09:00
Subject: Re: Use yaml to store Ruby arrays or hashes in the DB?

On Monday 01 November 2004 10:20 pm, James Britt wrote:
| George Moschovitis wrote:
| > Hello everybody,
| >
| > the current version of NDB stores Array/Hash/GeneralRubyObjects using
| > the Marshal.dump/load methods. This is relatively fast but not portable.
| > Ie it is difficult to use the database from an application coded in
| > another language due to Marshal being Ruby specific.
| >
| > I could use yaml of course but I am wondering if this is fast enough.
|
| How can you store Ruby-specific objects (i.e., custom, user-defined
| classes) in a language-neutral way?

You use YAML. 

No really. That's all there it to it. If it's not fast enough I'd advice 
writing your own YAML parser in Assembly, cause honestly it is a high level 
task and it is the only real portable solution. (Okay, there are some XML 
based tools but they will be just as slow.)

Of course you could use an OODB. Look up 'purple' in RAA. That in itself will 
interest you probably. But then read the included docs (README I think it is) 
there you will find caveats, in which it will suggest an OODB alternative. 
Maybe that will work.

Have Fun,
T.