Custom_Parsing_And_Serializing.md

Custom JSON Parsing/Serializing Behavior

Overview

The jsonifier library provides a flexible approach to customizing JSON parsing and serialization. This is achieved through the parser::impl and serialize_impl structures, allowing developers to define specific behaviors based on their requirements.

Parsing with parser::impl

Structure

The parser::impl structure is designed to handle the parsing of JSON data with a focus on customization. It utilizes template parameters such as value_type_new and derived_type.

Example

template<jsonifier::concepts::bool_t value_type_new, typename derived_type>
struct parser::impl<value_type_new, derived_type> : public derailleur {
    template<jsonifier::concepts::bool_t value_type, jsonifier::concepts::is_fwd_iterator iterator>
     void impl(value_type&& value, iterator&& iter) {
        // Custom parsing logic goes here
    }
};

Serialization with serialize_impl

Structure

The serialize_impl structure complements parsing by defining how JSON data should be serialized. It also uses template parameters like value_type_new and derived_type.

Example

template<jsonifier::concepts::bool_t value_type_new, typename derived_type>
struct serialize_impl<value_type_new, derived_type> {
    template<jsonifier::concepts::bool_t value_type, jsonifier::concepts::buffer_like buffer_type, jsonifier::concepts::uint64_type index_type>
     void impl(value_type&& value, buffer_type&& buffer, index_type&& index) {
        // Custom serialization logic goes here
    }
};

Certainly! The idea of creating your own specialization of parser::impl and serialize_impl is about tailoring the behavior of the JSON parsing and serialization process for specific types or situations that may not be adequately covered by the generic implementations.

Specialization for Time Stamps

In the provided example, there's a concept named time_stamp_t, which represents a specific type of data, presumably a timestamp from a Discord API. This concept is then used to create a specialization for the serialize_impl and parser::impl structures.

Serialization Specialization

Let's break down the serialize_impl specialization for time stamps:

template<time_stamp_t value_type_new, typename derived_type>
struct serialize_impl<value_type_new, derived_type> {
    template<time_stamp_t value_type, jsonifier::concepts::buffer_like iterator>
     void impl(value_type&& value, iterator&& iter, uint64_t& index) {
        jsonifier::string newString{ static_cast<jsonifier::string>(value) };
        serializer<derived_type>::impl(newString, iter, index);
    }
};

Here, the serialize_impl specialization is created for the time_stamp_t concept. The impl method inside this specialization is where you can define how time stamps should be serialized. This allows you to have precise control over the JSON representation of time stamp data.

Parsing Specialization

Similarly, the parser::impl specialization for time stamps is structured as follows:

template<time_stamp_t value_type_new, typename derived_type>
struct parser::impl<value_type_new, derived_type> {
    template<time_stamp_t value_type, jsonifier::concepts::is_fwd_iterator iterator>
     void impl(value_type&& value, iterator&& iter) {
        jsonifier::string newString{};
        parser<derived_type>::impl(newString, iter);
        value = static_cast<jsonifier::string>(newString);
    };
};

In this case, the impl method within the parser::impl specialization enables you to define how time stamps should be parsed from the JSON representation. This customization ensures that the library handles time stamp data according to your specific requirements.

Practical Use

For practical use, developers might want to create specializations for types that require non-trivial handling during JSON parsing and serialization. It allows for a more fine-grained control over the conversion process, especially when dealing with complex data structures or types that deviate from standard JSON conventions.

By creating these specializations, you can adapt the jsonifier library to accommodate the unique characteristics of your data types, ensuring a seamless integration with the broader JSON handling framework.