Encode operators will take the piped in object structure and encode it as a string in the desired format. The decode operators do the opposite, they take a formatted string and decode it into the relevant object structure. These operators are useful to process yaml documents that have stringified embeded yaml/json/props in them. ## Encode value as yaml string Indent defaults to 2 Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: cool: bob: dylan ``` then ```bash yq eval '.b = (.a | to_yaml)' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: cool: bob: dylan b: | cool: bob: dylan ``` ## Encode value as yaml string, with custom indentation You can specify the indentation level as the first parameter. Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: cool: bob: dylan ``` then ```bash yq eval '.b = (.a | to_yaml(8))' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: cool: bob: dylan b: | cool: bob: dylan ``` ## Encode value as yaml string, using toyaml Does the same thing as to_yaml, matching jq naming convention. Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: cool: thing ``` then ```bash yq eval '.b = (.a | to_yaml)' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: cool: thing b: | cool: thing ``` ## Encode value as json string Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: cool: thing ``` then ```bash yq eval '.b = (.a | to_json)' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: cool: thing b: | { "cool": "thing" } ``` ## Encode value as json string, on one line Pass in a 0 indent to print json on a single line. Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: cool: thing ``` then ```bash yq eval '.b = (.a | to_json(0))' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: cool: thing b: '{"cool":"thing"}' ``` ## Encode value as props string Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: cool: thing ``` then ```bash yq eval '.b = (.a | to_props)' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: cool: thing b: | cool = thing ``` ## Decode a yaml encoded string Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: 'foo: bar' ``` then ```bash yq eval '.b = (.a | from_yaml)' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: 'foo: bar' b: foo: bar ``` ## Update a multiline encoded yaml string Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: | foo: bar baz: dog ``` then ```bash yq eval '.a |= (from_yaml | .foo = "cat" | to_yaml)' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: | foo: cat baz: dog ``` ## Update a single line encoded yaml string Given a sample.yml file of: ```yaml a: 'foo: bar' ``` then ```bash yq eval '.a |= (from_yaml | .foo = "cat" | to_yaml)' sample.yml ``` will output ```yaml a: 'foo: cat' ```