Output formatting (JSON)

[nikolastojkov]

Currently you can't specify an output format for the info returned.

It would be great if we can specify an output format for the info, e.g. JSON, XML(?), CSV etc.

Requested Usage

... --output="json"

[whoeverest]

Makes sense, having structured output is one of the goals of the tool. The tree options would probably be: json|csv|tab; the last one is more or less how the data is printed today, separated by tabs.

[Tunas1337]

I can make a PR to add a command line flag that formats and outputs the data as JSON instead of human-readable text; however, I'm not any kind of authority which can determine what the schema for the JSON will be. If you come up with a standard (or just sorta accept what I can come up with, and improve upon it) I'll be happy to contribute.

[whoeverest]

@Tunas1337 Thanks for offering your help! I'm still unsure about the details myself...

The key to this task is to first figure out how to represent the values that get printed. Currently, we just parse the HTML and print them. But ideally, we'd like to have a more stuctured representation e.g currencies that have a number part (float) and a currency (enum?)

Once we have an in-memory representation, the rest is simple. If the global --json|csv|tab flag is passed to the CLI, before printing, whatever values need to be printed get converted in the chosen format. Currenly, tab is default, since the printed output is tab delimited.

Regarding the schema, it depends on the command that's being called. On nlbcli ID accounts you get one shape of the data, on other commands other, obviously. :))

Nothing very actionable from all I just said, just thinking out loud.

[whoeverest]

Perhaps we should do a small PR, for one command, and have a discussion there. Happy to do one, or review it if you get to it first. @Tunas1337

[Tunas1337]

I've been somewhat busy with work and university, but I will definitely take a look at it throughout this week; hopefully, I'll be able to make at least a preliminary PR with JSON/CSV output for one command by the end of the week. I'm thinking nlbcli accounts ID balance because it contains a lot of the data from other commands, and thus implementing it would involve determining the format for most of the other ones.

[Tunas1337]

See PR #15.

[whoeverest]

I've been somewhat busy with work and university

No worries. :) Thanks, I'll review the RP!