debug: Allow type-specification of JSON output for cortex-debug

commands/debug/debug_info.go

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/arduino/arduino-cli/arduino"
@@ -209,28 +210,56 @@ func getDebugProperties(req *rpc.GetDebugConfigRequest, pme *packagemanager.Expl
 //	my.indexed.array.2=third
 //
 // into the corresponding JSON arrays.
+// If a value should be converted into a JSON type different from string, the value
+// may be prefiex with "[boolean]", "[number]", or "[object]":
+//
+//	my.stringValue=a string
+//	my.booleanValue=[boolean]true
+//	my.numericValue=[number]20
 func convertToJsonMap(in *properties.Map) string {
-	// XXX: Maybe this method could be a good candidate for propertis.Map?
-
 	// Find the values that should be kept as is, and the indexed arrays
 	// that should be later converted into arrays.
 	arraysKeys := map[string]bool{}
-	stringKeys := []string{}
+	scalarKeys := []string{}
 	trailingNumberMatcher := regexp.MustCompile(`^(.*)\.[0-9]+$`)
 	for _, k := range in.Keys() {
 		match := trailingNumberMatcher.FindAllStringSubmatch(k, -1)
 		if len(match) > 0 && len(match[0]) > 1 {
 			arraysKeys[match[0][1]] = true
 		} else {
-			stringKeys = append(stringKeys, k)
+			scalarKeys = append(scalarKeys, k)
 		}
 	}
 
 	// Compose a map that can be later marshaled into JSON keeping
 	// the arrays where they are expected to be.
 	res := map[string]any{}
-	for _, k := range stringKeys {
-		res[k] = in.Get(k)
+	for _, k := range scalarKeys {
+		v := in.Get(k)
+		switch {
+		case strings.HasPrefix(v, "[boolean]"):
+			v = strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(v, "[boolean]"))
+			if strings.EqualFold(v, "true") {
+				res[k] = true
+			} else if strings.EqualFold(v, "false") {
+				res[k] = false
+			}
+		case strings.HasPrefix(v, "[number]"):
+			v = strings.TrimPrefix(v, "[number]")
+			if i, err := strconv.Atoi(v); err == nil {
+				res[k] = i
+			} else if f, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64); err == nil {
+				res[k] = f
+			}
+		case strings.HasPrefix(v, "[object]"):
+			v = strings.TrimPrefix(v, "[object]")
+			var o interface{}
+			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(v), &o); err == nil {
+				res[k] = o
+			}
+		default:
+			res[k] = v
+		}
 	}
 	for k := range arraysKeys {
 		res[k] = in.ExtractSubIndexLists(k)

docs/platform-specification.md

@@ -1403,6 +1403,30 @@ will result in the following JSON to be merged in the Arduino IDE generated `lau
 }
 ```
 
+All the values are converted by default to a string in the resulting JSON. If another type is needed the value can be
+prefixed with the tags `[boolean]`, `[number]`, or `[object]` to force a specific type in the JSON, for example:
+
+```
+debug.cortex-debug.custom.aBoolean=[boolean]true
+debug.cortex-debug.custom.aNumber=[number]10
+debug.cortex-debug.custom.anotherNumber=[number]10.20
+debug.cortex-debug.custom.anObject=[object]{"key":"value", "boolean":true}
+```
+
+will result in the following JSON:
+
+```json
+{
+  "aBoolean": true,
+  "aNumber": 10,
+  "anotherNumber": 10.2,
+  "anObject": {
+    "boolean": true,
+    "key": "value"
+  }
+}
+```
+
 ### Optimization level for debugging
 
 The compiler optimization level that is appropriate for normal usage will often not provide a good experience while

internal/integrationtest/debug/debug_test.go

@@ -133,6 +133,15 @@ func testAllDebugInformation(t *testing.T, env *integrationtest.Environment, cli
 			},
 			"svd_file": "svd-file",
 			"cortex-debug_custom_configuration": {
+				"aBoolean": true,
+				"aStringBoolean": "true",
+				"aStringNumber": "10",
+				"aNumber": 10,
+				"anotherNumber": 10.2,
+				"anObject": {
+					"boolean": true,
+					"key": "value"
+				},
 				"anotherStringParamer": "hellooo",
 				"overrideRestartCommands": [
 					"monitor reset halt",
@@ -176,6 +185,15 @@ func testAllDebugInformation(t *testing.T, env *integrationtest.Environment, cli
 			},
 			"svd_file": "svd-file",
 			"cortex-debug_custom_configuration": {
+				"aBoolean": true,
+				"aStringBoolean": "true",
+				"aStringNumber": "10",
+				"aNumber": 10,
+				"anotherNumber": 10.2,
+				"anObject": {
+					"boolean": true,
+					"key": "value"
+				},
 				"anotherStringParamer": "hellooo",
 				"overrideRestartCommands": [
 					"monitor reset halt",

internal/integrationtest/debug/testdata/hardware/my/samd/boards.txt

@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.overrideRestartCommands.1=monitor gdb_sync
 my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.overrideRestartCommands.2=thb setup
 my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.overrideRestartCommands.3=c
 my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.anotherStringParamer=hellooo
+my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.aBoolean=[boolean]true
+my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.aStringBoolean=true
+my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.aNumber=[number]10
+my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.anotherNumber=[number]10.20
+my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.aStringNumber=10
+my.debug.cortex-debug.custom.anObject=[object]{"key":"value", "boolean":true}
 my.debug.svd_file=svd-file
 
 my2.name=My Cool Board