added table_save to load/save metadata

table_save.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+--[[
+   Save Table to File
+   Load Table from File
+   v 1.0
+   
+   Lua 5.2 compatible
+   
+   Only Saves Tables, Numbers and Strings
+   Insides Table References are saved
+   Does not save Userdata, Metatables, Functions and indices of these
+   ----------------------------------------------------
+   table.save( table , filename )
+   
+   on failure: returns an error msg
+   
+   ----------------------------------------------------
+   table.load( filename or stringtable )
+   
+   Loads a table that has been saved via the table.save function
+   
+   on success: returns a previously saved table
+   on failure: returns as second argument an error msg
+   ----------------------------------------------------
+   
+   Licensed under the same terms as Lua itself.
+]]--
+do
+   -- declare local variables
+   --// exportstring( string )
+   --// returns a "Lua" portable version of the string
+   local function exportstring( s )
+      return string.format("%q", s)
+   end
+
+   --// The Save Function
+   function table.save(  tbl,filename )
+      local charS,charE = "   ","\n"
+      local file,err = io.open( filename, "wb" )
+      if err then return err end
+
+      -- initiate variables for save procedure
+      local tables,lookup = { tbl },{ [tbl] = 1 }
+      file:write( "return {"..charE )
+
+      for idx,t in ipairs( tables ) do
+         file:write( "-- Table: {"..idx.."}"..charE )
+         file:write( "{"..charE )
+         local thandled = {}
+
+         for i,v in ipairs( t ) do
+            thandled[i] = true
+            local stype = type( v )
+            -- only handle value
+            if stype == "table" then
+               if not lookup[v] then
+                  table.insert( tables, v )
+                  lookup[v] = #tables
+               end
+               file:write( charS.."{"..lookup[v].."},"..charE )
+            elseif stype == "string" then
+               file:write(  charS..exportstring( v )..","..charE )
+            elseif stype == "number" then
+               file:write(  charS..tostring( v )..","..charE )
+            end
+         end
+
+         for i,v in pairs( t ) do
+            -- escape handled values
+            if (not thandled[i]) then
+            
+               local str = ""
+               local stype = type( i )
+               -- handle index
+               if stype == "table" then
+                  if not lookup[i] then
+                     table.insert( tables,i )
+                     lookup[i] = #tables
+                  end
+                  str = charS.."[{"..lookup[i].."}]="
+               elseif stype == "string" then
+                  str = charS.."["..exportstring( i ).."]="
+               elseif stype == "number" then
+                  str = charS.."["..tostring( i ).."]="
+               end
+            
+               if str ~= "" then
+                  stype = type( v )
+                  -- handle value
+                  if stype == "table" then
+                     if not lookup[v] then
+                        table.insert( tables,v )
+                        lookup[v] = #tables
+                     end
+                     file:write( str.."{"..lookup[v].."},"..charE )
+                  elseif stype == "string" then
+                     file:write( str..exportstring( v )..","..charE )
+                  elseif stype == "number" then
+                     file:write( str..tostring( v )..","..charE )
+                  end
+               end
+            end
+         end
+         file:write( "},"..charE )
+      end
+      file:write( "}" )
+      file:close()
+   end
+   
+   --// The Load Function
+   function table.load( sfile )
+      local ftables,err = loadfile( sfile )
+      if err then return _,err end
+      local tables = ftables()
+      for idx = 1,#tables do
+         local tolinki = {}
+         for i,v in pairs( tables[idx] ) do
+            if type( v ) == "table" then
+               tables[idx][i] = tables[v[1]]
+            end
+            if type( i ) == "table" and tables[i[1]] then
+               table.insert( tolinki,{ i,tables[i[1]] } )
+            end
+         end
+         -- link indices
+         for _,v in ipairs( tolinki ) do
+            tables[idx][v[2]],tables[idx][v[1]] =  tables[idx][v[1]],nil
+         end
+      end
+      return tables[1]
+   end
+-- close do
+end
+-- ChillCode