(issue 788) convert unicode string to bytes and reversely when working wiht HDF files

larray/core/axis.py

@@ -1349,10 +1349,13 @@ def to_hdf(self, filepath, key=None):
                 raise ValueError("Argument key must be provided explicitly in case of anonymous axis")
             key = self.name
         key = _translate_group_key_hdf(key)
-        s = pd.Series(data=self.labels, name=self.name)
+        kind = self.labels.dtype.kind
+        data = np.char.encode(self.labels, 'utf-8') if kind == 'U' else self.labels
+        s = pd.Series(data=data, name=self.name)
         with LHDFStore(filepath) as store:
             store.put(key, s)
             store.get_storer(key).attrs.type = 'Axis'
+            store.get_storer(key).attrs.kind = kind
             store.get_storer(key).attrs.wildcard = self.iswildcard
 
     @property

larray/core/group.py

@@ -1462,10 +1462,15 @@ def to_hdf(self, filepath, key=None, axis_key=None):
             if self.axis.name is None:
                 raise ValueError("Argument axis_key must be provided explicitly if the associated axis is anonymous")
             axis_key = self.axis.name
-        s = pd.Series(data=self.eval(), name=self.name)
+        data = self.eval()
+        kind = data.dtype.kind if isinstance(data, np.ndarray) else ''
+        if kind == 'U':
+            data = np.char.encode(data, 'utf-8')
+        s = pd.Series(data=data, name=self.name)
         with LHDFStore(filepath) as store:
             store.put(key, s)
             store.get_storer(key).attrs.type = 'Group'
+            store.get_storer(key).attrs.kind = kind
             if axis_key not in store:
                 self.axis.to_hdf(store, key=axis_key)
             store.get_storer(key).attrs.axis_key = axis_key

larray/inout/hdf.py

@@ -88,15 +88,21 @@ def read_hdf(filepath_or_buffer, key, fill_value=nan, na=nan, sort_rows=False, s
                 name = str(pd_obj.name)
             if name == 'None':
                 name = None
-            res = Axis(labels=pd_obj.values, name=name)
+            labels = pd_obj.values
+            if 'kind' in attrs and attrs['kind'] == 'U':
+                labels = np.char.decode(labels, 'utf-8')
+            res = Axis(labels=labels, name=name)
             res._iswildcard = attrs['wildcard']
         elif _type == 'Group':
             if name is None:
                 name = str(pd_obj.name)
             if name == 'None':
                 name = None
+            key = pd_obj.values
+            if 'kind' in attrs and attrs['kind'] == 'U':
+                key = np.char.decode(key, 'utf-8')
             axis = read_hdf(filepath_or_buffer, attrs['axis_key'])
-            res = LGroup(key=pd_obj.values, name=name, axis=axis)
+            res = LGroup(key=key, name=name, axis=axis)
     return res
 
 

larray/tests/test_axis.py

@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ def test_h5_io(tmpdir):
     lipro = Axis('lipro=P01..P05')
     anonymous = Axis(range(3))
     wildcard = Axis(3, 'wildcard')
+    string_axis = Axis(['@!àéè&%µ$~', '/*-+_§()><', 'another label'], 'string_axis')
     fpath = os.path.join(str(tmpdir), 'axes.h5')
 
     # ---- default behavior ----
@@ -410,6 +411,10 @@ def test_h5_io(tmpdir):
     wildcard2 = read_hdf(fpath, key=wildcard.name)
     assert wildcard2.iswildcard
     assert wildcard.equals(wildcard2)
+    # string axis
+    string_axis.to_hdf(fpath)
+    string_axis2 = read_hdf(fpath, string_axis.name)
+    assert string_axis.equals(string_axis2)
 
     # ---- specific key ----
     # int axis

larray/tests/test_group.py

@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ def test_h5_io_lgroup(tmpdir):
     named_axis_not_in_file = lipro['P01,P03,P05'] >> 'P_odd'
     anonymous = age[':5']
     wildcard = age_wildcard[':5'] >> 'age_w_05'
+    string_group = Axis(['@!àéè&%µ$~', '/*-+_§()><', 'another label'], 'string_axis')[:] >> 'string_group'
 
     # ---- default behavior ----
     # named group
@@ -209,6 +210,10 @@ def test_h5_io_lgroup(tmpdir):
     named_axis_not_in_file.to_hdf(fpath)
     named2 = read_hdf(fpath, key=named_axis_not_in_file.name)
     assert all(named_axis_not_in_file == named2)
+    # string group
+    string_group.to_hdf(fpath)
+    string_group2 = read_hdf(fpath, key=string_group.name)
+    assert all(string_group == string_group2)
 
     # ---- specific hdf group + key ----
     hdf_group = 'my_groups'