JSONDB implementation

gistfile1.coffee

###
# JSONDB - a compressed JSON format
# By Devon Govett
# Originally proposed by Peter Michaux - http://michaux.ca/articles/json-db-a-compressed-json-format
#
# jsondb.pack converts an array of objects with the same keys (i.e. from a database) 
# and flattens them into a single array, which is much smaller than the pure json 
# representation where the keys are repeated for each item in the array.  
# Combine with JSON.stringify to send compressed JSON data over the network.
#
# jsondb.unpack reverses that operation, turning the jsondb array back into 
# an array of objects with the proper keys and values.  Combine with JSON.parse.
###

jsondb = 
    pack: (records) ->
        keys = Object.keys records[0] # pull the headers from the first row
        ret = [
            'JSONDB'    # format identifier
            keys.length # number of headers
            keys...     # headers
        ]

        # values
        for record in records
            ret.push val for key, val of record

        return ret
    
    unpack: (array) ->
        return null unless array[0] is 'JSONDB' # check format identifier
        
        numKeys = array[1]
        pos = numKeys + 2
        keys = array[2...pos]
        
        ret = []
        cur = {}
        
        for val, i in array[pos...]
            if i > 0 and i % numKeys is 0
                ret.push cur
                cur = {}
                
            key = keys[i % numKeys]
            cur[key] = val
        
        ret.push cur        
        return ret

transforms [{ foo: "bar", baz: "boo" }, { foo: "123", baz: "hey" }] into ["JSONDB", 2, "foo", "baz", "bar", "boo", "123", "hey"]

why not just using something like http://marklomas.net/ch-egg/articles/lzwjs.htm ?

Cool stuff.. But only prob for now is with something like this: [{ name: "so and so", comments: [{comment: "blah blah", by: "someone", likes: [{by: 1223}], id: 12312 }]
Nested arrays dont work. :-/