How to yaml dump a python dict with '\n' to output plain text

Question

I have a yaml doc as follows.

 doc="""
... network-interface: >
...    auto $(intf)
...       iface $(intf) inet static
...       address $(addr)
...       network $(net)
...       netmask $(mask)
... """

I am loading this doc and getting a python dict. I am trying to convert this doc back to my original doc and I am getting '\n' characters.

ydict = yaml.load(doc)
ndoc  = yaml.dump(ydict)
print ndoc
{network-interface: "auto $(intf)\n   iface $(intf) inet static\n   address $(addr)\n\
    \   network $(net)\n   netmask $(mask)\n"}

print yaml.dump(ydict, default_flow_style=False)
network-interface: "auto $(intf)\n   iface $(intf) inet static\n   address $(addr)\n\
  \   network $(net)\n   netmask $(mask)\n"

How do I get the original doc back without the '\n'.

Possible duplicate of http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18514205/how-to-prevent-yaml-to-dump-long-line-without-new-line — Selçuk Cihan, Apr 14 '15 at 08:11
well if it's dumping it back out into YAML format you kind of need those `\n` characters right? how does it actually look when you stream it into a file and open it with vim or similar? — Mike McMahon, Apr 16 '15 at 21:31

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 16 '15 at 21:34

You specify the string with the folded block style, but your extra indent on the line starting with 'iface` and following cause it get 'hard' newlines.

If you align those lines:

import yaml

doc="""
network-interface: >
      auto $(intf)
      iface $(intf) inet static
      address $(addr)
      network $(net)
      netmask $(mask)
"""

ydict = ruamel.yaml.load(doc, Loader=ruamel.yaml.RoundTripLoader)
ndoc  = ruamel.yaml.dump(ydict, Dumper=ruamel.yaml.RoundTripDumper)
ydict = ruamel.yaml.load(doc)
ndoc  = ruamel.yaml.dump(ydict)

print ndoc

you will get:

{network-interface: 'auto $(intf) iface $(intf) inet static address $(addr) network
    $(net) netmask $(mask)

    '}

If you want your output YAML to be more closely like your input, you should consider using ruamel.yaml (of which I am the author) and use the literal style (|):

import ruamel.yaml

doc="""
network-interface: |
      auto $(intf)
      iface $(intf) inet static
      address $(addr)
      network $(net)
      netmask $(mask)
"""

ydict = ruamel.yaml.load(doc, Loader=ruamel.yaml.RoundTripLoader)
ndoc  = ruamel.yaml.dump(ydict, Dumper=ruamel.yaml.RoundTripDumper)

print ndoc

gives you:

network-interface: |
  auto $(intf)
  iface $(intf) inet static
  address $(addr)
  network $(net)
  netmask $(mask)

How to yaml dump a python dict with '\n' to output plain text

1 Answers1