Python's 'Pickle' Module

Recent changes to the SimulaeObject class have proven to be a big leap forwards in regards to flexible object manipulation for both testing and live environments.  The issue at hand was in regards to how to load and/or save object 'types' as it were.  Initial thoughts were to go with a simple configuration file which contained each and every object a la something akin to the httpd.conf file from Apache 1.3 (& 2.x?) for handling virtual hosts.  Then it dawned on me that this was a mistake which I personally made once before, and was almost about to fall victim to once more.  

The solution was sitting right in front of me all along, the standard library's 'pickle' module (or alternatively the 'cpickle' variation for speed's sake).  Due to the issues presented in a virtual world simulation the topic of object blueprints and simulation population ease come to mind rather quickly.  The best environment for manipulating these new objects will ultimately be via the methods provided by both the the SimulaE package (SimulaE.loadObject(filename_to_load, [optional_load_path]) as well as at the code level in the parent class in SimulaE.SimulaeObject.saveObject(filename_to_save_as, [optional_save_path]).

By going this route it has been realised that a simple loop and/or script-like routine could be used to create all the generic object templates needed for design platforms, and for customisation all one need do is use the loadObject routine, make the necessary alterations and re-save said item as a more concrete, concise and specialised object, named appropriately of course.  

Let us take an example of a room type object (more simply put, a larger container object).  We'll use simple constructor information here for the sake of staying on focus.  We're going to make a 4 metre x 5.5 metre dining room, with a 2.75 metre ceiling, simple called "Dining Room".  It will be empty sans an already pickled to storage butler object we've created for the sake of this example (whose filename is simply "butler_jeeves"), though future discussions on SimulaE's container and stack loading methods are forthcoming.

import SimulaE

generic_dr = SimulaE.SimulaeObject(name='Dining Room', width=4.0, length=5.5, height=2.75)

generic_butler = SimulaE.loadObject('butler_jeeves')

generic_dr.addToContents(generic_butler)

generic_dr.saveObject('diningroom4x5.5x2.75wButler')

We now have a pickled version of this generic dining room of the aforementioned dimensions, sporting its own copy of Jeeves the butler, saved to a physical file on whatever storage device we're set to utilise.  We can overwrite said object by simply saving the item with the filename as it exists on whatever storage device is in use.  There is also the flexibility of specifying alternative file save and load paths with allow for multiple parallel simulations and/or individuals to work in safe separate but equal spaces, very much along the lines of a Unix mentality.  Another advantage by working in this manner is being able to create a path full of simulation objects and copy said path en masse for alternative and/or backup purposes.

Either way you slice the pickle (module), it proves to be quite (ful)filling, making one feel quite (programmatically) satisfied.