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Text =/= Variable Length I can store fixed-length data using text. A strict schema can specify things like fixed lengths, value padding, orders for maps, exac
by CivBase 6y ago
Text =/= Variable Length
I can store fixed-length data using text. A strict schema can specify things like fixed lengths, value padding, orders for maps, exact whitespace rules, etc which can entirely remove the need for delimiters. A schema could even require length prefixes, just like you might use for a non-text format.
These concepts do not necessitate abandoning text. If you need the data to be readable/writable by a human with minimal tooling, you can still leverage text without sacrificing much parsing efficiency.
- minitech 6y agoIn theory, sure. In practice, nobody does, and length prefixes stop a format like that from being conveniently writable with a plain text editor.
- CivBase 6y agoI work on avionics and we definitely use fixed-length text all the time. Text is often much more convenient than blobs, even when adhering to strict schemas. Syntaxes like XML, JSON, YAML, etc have become popular for their convenience and versatility, but they do not represent the whole of what is possible with text.
- renox 6y agoYou've not used enough Ada: its variable length string is so clunky that fixed sized text is used instead..