DictConst 1.0.0¶

Overview¶

Misc Beginner

Description¶

Creates a constant dictionary object that can be used throughout your workflow. This block allows you to define static key-value pairs as configuration and outputs them as a dictionary for use by other blocks.

Configuration Options¶

Name	Data Type	Description	Default Value
output	`dict`	The dictionary to output as a constant value. Can contain any valid key-value pairs including nested objects, lists, strings, numbers, and booleans.	N/A

Inputs¶

No inputs available.

Outputs¶

Name	Data Type	Description
output	`dict`	The configured dictionary object exactly as specified in the configuration. Contains all key-value pairs defined in the output parameter.

Examples¶

# Simple configuration object
- id: app_config
  uses: DictConst@1.0.0
  with:
    output:
      api_url: "https://api.example.com"
      timeout: 30
      retry_attempts: 3
      debug_mode: false
  outputs:
    output: config_object

# User profile data
- id: user_profile
  uses: DictConst@1.0.0
  with:
    output:
      user_id: 12345
      name: "John Doe"
      email: "john.doe@example.com"
      preferences:
        theme: "dark"
        language: "en-US"
        notifications: true
  outputs:
    output: profile_data

    

# Complex nested configuration
- id: database_config
  uses: DictConst@1.0.0
  with:
    output:
      connections:
        primary:
          host: "db-primary.example.com"
          port: 5432
          database: "production"
          ssl: true
          pool_size: 20
        replica:
          host: "db-replica.example.com"
          port: 5432
          database: "production"
          ssl: true
          pool_size: 10
      connection_timeout: 30
      query_timeout: 300
      retry_policy:
        max_attempts: 3
        backoff_multiplier: 2
        base_delay: 1000
  outputs:
    output: db_settings

# API response template
- id: response_template
  uses: DictConst@1.0.0
  with:
    output:
      status: "success"
      timestamp: "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
      metadata:
        api_version: "v2.1"
        request_id: "req_123456789"
        processing_time_ms: 125
      data: {}
      errors: []
      pagination:
        page: 1
        per_page: 20
        total_pages: 0
        total_items: 0
  outputs:
    output: api_template

# Feature flags configuration
- id: feature_flags
  uses: DictConst@1.0.0
  with:
    output:
      experimental_features:
        new_ui_design: true
        advanced_analytics: false
        beta_api_endpoints: true
      regional_features:
        europe:
          gdpr_compliance: true
          cookie_banner: true
        us:
          ccpa_compliance: true
          state_privacy_laws: true
      performance_optimizations:
        caching_enabled: true
        compression_level: 6
        cdn_regions: ["us-east", "eu-west", "asia-pacific"]
  outputs:
    output: flags_config

    

Error Handling¶

ConfigurationValidationError

Error Code: invalid_dictionary_config
Common Cause: Invalid YAML syntax or structure in the output dictionary configuration
Solution: Verify YAML syntax, ensure proper indentation, check for missing colons or quote marks in dictionary keys and values

SerializationError

Error Code: dictionary_serialization_failed
Common Cause: Dictionary contains non-serializable objects or circular references
Solution: Use only basic data types (strings, numbers, booleans, lists, dicts), avoid complex objects or functions in the configuration

MemoryLimitError

Error Code: dictionary_size_limit_exceeded
Common Cause: Dictionary configuration is too large and exceeds memory limits
Solution: Reduce dictionary size, split large configurations into multiple DictConst blocks, or store large data externally

FAQ¶

What data types can I include in the dictionary?

DictConst supports all JSON-serializable data types: strings, numbers (integers and floats), booleans, null values, nested dictionaries (objects), and lists (arrays). Avoid Python-specific objects like functions or classes.

How deep can I nest objects and arrays?

There's no explicit limit on nesting depth, but very deep structures may impact performance and readability. For practical purposes, 3-5 levels of nesting are generally sufficient and maintainable.

Can I reference other blocks' outputs in the dictionary?

No, DictConst creates static configuration data only. The dictionary is defined at workflow design time, not runtime. Use CreateObject or BuildObject blocks if you need to construct dictionaries from dynamic data.

How do I handle special characters or multiline strings?

Use YAML string formatting: quote strings with special characters ("key": "value with spaces"), use | for multiline strings preserving line breaks, or use > for multiline strings with folded line breaks.

What's the difference between DictConst and other object creation blocks?

DictConst creates static dictionaries from configuration, CreateObject builds dictionaries from inputs dynamically, and BuildObject merges multiple dictionaries. Use DictConst for fixed configuration data that doesn't change during workflow execution.