Python script to parse tabbed files into JSON formats as {'name': <name>, 'children': [] }

parse_tabs.py

__author__ = 'yousefhamza'
import json
import sys

if len(sys.argv) != 2:
    print 'Usage: python parse_tabs.py <file name>'
    exit()

tab_file = open(sys.argv[1])
json_stack = []

current_level, next_level = -1, 0

for line in tab_file.readlines():
    next_level = line.count('\t')
    node = {
         'name': line.strip('\t').strip('\n'),
         'children': [],
    }

    if next_level > current_level:
        if json_stack:
            parent_dict = json_stack[-1]
            parent_dict['children'].append(node)
        json_stack.append(node)

    elif next_level == current_level:
        parent_dict = json_stack[-2]
        parent_dict['children'].append(node)
        json_stack.pop()
        json_stack.append(node)

    else:
        for i in range(next_level, current_level + 1):
            json_stack.pop()
        parent_dict = json_stack[-1]
        parent_dict['children'].append(node)
        json_stack.append(node)

    current_level = next_level

print json.dumps(json_stack[0])