BuildObject 1.0.0

Overview

Function Beginner

Description

Merges objects using dictionary unpacking (similar to jq's merge). Each new object is merged with the existing accumulated object.

Configuration Options

No configuration options available.

Inputs

Name	Data Type	Description
obj	dict[str, Any] or str	Dictionary object to merge, or JSON string that will be parsed into a dictionary. Supports markdown code blocks and handles common JSON formatting issues

Outputs

Name	Data Type	Description
merged_object	dict[str, Any]	Accumulated merged object containing all key-value pairs from previous merges. State persists across multiple calls until block is reset

Examples

Basic Usage Advanced JSON Parsing

# Basic object merging
- name: build_user_profile
  type: BuildObject
  inputs:
    obj:
      user_id: "usr_12345"
      name: "John Doe"
      email: "john@example.com"

- name: add_preferences
  type: BuildObject  
  inputs:
    obj:
      theme: "dark"
      notifications: true
      language: "en"

# Final merged_object will contain:
# {
#   "user_id": "usr_12345",
#   "name": "John Doe", 
#   "email": "john@example.com",
#   "theme": "dark",
#   "notifications": true,
#   "language": "en"
# }
    

# Advanced workflow with dynamic object building
- name: collect_user_data
  type: BuildObject
  inputs:
    obj: "{{ user_input.outputs.basic_info }}"

- name: add_computed_fields
  type: BuildObject
  inputs:
    obj:
      created_at: "{{ current_timestamp.outputs.iso_string }}"
      profile_score: "{{ calculator.outputs.score }}"
      subscription_tier: "premium"

- name: add_metadata
  type: BuildObject
  inputs:
    obj:
      metadata:
        source: "registration_form"
        version: "2.1"
        processed_by: "user_onboarding_flow"
      audit:
        created_by: "{{ session.user_id }}"
        ip_address: "{{ request.client_ip }}"

# Results in a comprehensive user object with nested properties
    

# Parsing JSON strings and markdown code blocks
- name: parse_llm_response
  type: BuildObject
  inputs:
    obj: |
      
{
  "analysis": "Customer satisfaction is high",
  "confidence": 0.87,
  "categories": ["service", "product", "support"]
}


- name: add_system_info
  type: BuildObject
  inputs:
    obj: '{"processed_at": "2024-03-15T10:30:00Z", "model": "gpt-4"}'

# Handles various JSON string formats automatically
- name: parse_malformed_json
  type: BuildObject
  inputs:
    obj: "  {\"status\": \"success\", \"data\": {\"count\": 42}}  "
    

Error Handling

JSON Decode Error

Error Code

json.JSONDecodeError: Expecting property name enclosed in double quotes

Common Cause

Invalid JSON string format with syntax errors, unquoted keys, or trailing commas

Solution

Validate JSON syntax before passing to block, ensure proper quoting of keys and string values

Type Error

Error Code

TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for **: 'dict' and 'NoneType'

Common Cause

Attempting to merge with null or undefined input, or passing non-dictionary objects

Solution

Ensure input objects are valid dictionaries or JSON strings, add validation upstream

State Overflow

Error Code

MemoryError: accumulated object too large

Common Cause

Accumulated object grows too large over many merge operations

Solution

Reset block state periodically or use smaller batch sizes for large data sets

FAQ

How does the state accumulation work?

BuildObject maintains an internal state that accumulates all merged objects. Each new object is merged with the existing accumulated state using dictionary unpacking. The state persists until the block is reset or the workflow completes.

What happens with conflicting keys?

When merging objects with the same keys, the new object's values overwrite the existing values. This follows Python's dictionary update behavior - later values take precedence over earlier ones.

Can I pass JSON strings instead of objects?

Yes, BuildObject automatically detects and parses JSON strings. It handles markdown code blocks, removes control characters, and can extract JSON from text that contains other content. This makes it ideal for processing LLM outputs.

How do I reset the accumulated state?

The accumulated state is automatically reset when the workflow completes or when the block is reinitialized. For long-running workflows, consider using separate BuildObject instances or implementing periodic state clearing logic.

Is BuildObject similar to CreateObject?

No, CreateObject builds a single object from named inputs, while BuildObject progressively merges multiple objects over time. Use CreateObject for one-time object construction and BuildObject for accumulating data across multiple operations.