Extends YAML to support file based inheritance.
That can be very handy to build a configuration hierachy.
Add this line to your application's Gemfile:
gem 'yaml_extend'
And then execute:
$ bundle install
Or install it yourself as:
$ gem install yaml_extend
It is possible to build inheritance trees like:
defaults.yml
________\_________
\ \ \
dev.yml int.yml prod.yml
or like this:
default.yml english.yml default.yml german.yml
\ / \ /
uk.yml de.yml
|
at.yml
A file can inherit from as many as you want. Trees can be nested as deep as you want.
YAML files are deep merged, the latest specified child file overwrites the former ones. Array values are merged as well by default. You can specifiy this with the 3rd Parameter.
The files to inherit from are specified by the key 'extends:' in the YAML file. That key can be customized if you prefer another one. See the examples below.
yaml_extend adds the method YAML.ext_load_file to YAML.
This method works like the original YAML.load_file, by extending it with file inheritance.
Given the following both files are defined:
# start.yml
extends: 'super.yml'
data:
name: 'Mr. Superman'
age: 134
favorites:
- 'Raspberrys'
# super.yml
data:
name: 'Unknown'
power: 2000
favorites:
- 'Bananas'
- 'Apples'
When you then call ext_load_file
config = YAML.ext_load_file 'start.yml'
the returned YAML value results in
data:
name: 'Mr. Superman'
age: 134
power: 2000
favorites:
- 'Bananas'
- 'Apples'
- 'Raspberrys'
If you want to inherit from several files, you can specify a list (Array) of files. They are merged from top to bottom, so the latest file "wins" - that means it overwrites duplicate values if they exist with the values in the latest file where they occur.
extends:
- 'super_file.yml'
- 'parent_file.yml'
...
If you don't want to use the default key 'extends:', you can specify your own custom key in two ways.
#custom1.yml
inherit_from:
- 'super_file.yml'
foo: 'bar'
...
You can specify the key by parameter, this is the way to go if you want to use the different key only once or you use the ext_load_file
method only once in your application.
config = YAML.ext_load_file 'custom1.yml', 'inherit_from'
You can specify the key by configuration globally. So you only need to set the key once and not as parameter anymore
YAML.ext_load_key = 'inherit_from'
config = YAML.ext_load_file 'custom1.yml'
To reset the global inheritance key, you can either set it to nil or call the reset_load_key
method.
YAML.reset_load_key # more readable
YAML.ext_load_key = nil # more explicit
#custom2.yml
options:
extend_file: 'super_file.yml'
database: false
foo: 'bar'
...
config = YAML.ext_load_file 'custom2.yml', ['options','extend_file']
YAML.ext_load_file(yaml_path, inheritance_key='extends', extend_existing_arrays=true)
- yaml_path relative or absolute path to yaml file to inherit from
- inheritance_key you can overwrite the default key, if you use the default 'extends' already as part of your configuration. The inheritance_key is NOT included, that means it will be deleted, in the final merged file. Default: 'extends'
- extend_existing_arrays Extends existing arrays in yaml structure instead of replacing them. Default: true
Bug reports and pull requests are welcome on GitHub at https://github.com/magynhard/yaml_extend. This project is intended to be a safe, welcoming space for collaboration, and contributors are expected to adhere to the Contributor Covenant code of conduct.