Process' environment variables array can be simplified

[antchan2]

The 1.4.0-dev draft added the ability to store a Process' environment variables as an array. To accommodate situations where the variable's name and/or value are very long and must be truncated, the long_string object was used as it provides built-in truncation indicators. However, when long_string is used in an array, as it is appropriate for storing multiple environment variables, the output data can be overly complex. @zschmerber shared in the system-activity Slack channel the following example:

"environment_variables": [{
		"variable_name": {
			"value": "UPDATE_IS_MACHINE"
		},
		"variable_value": {
			"value": "0"
		}
	}, {
		"variable_name": {
			"value": "PATH"
		},
		"variable_value": {
			"value": "/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin"
		}
	}],

We should revisit the environment_variable object definition and seek ways to simplify the data representation.

[antchan2]

During the course of the conversation I proposed considering labels, an array of strings already defined in the dictionary, to optionally indicate truncation. That simplifies the output for the more common non-truncation case. I recall this general approach was also discussed when environment_variables was first added. This is an example output:

"environment_variables": [{
			"name":"NAME",
			"value":"VALUE"
		}, {
			"name":"VERY_LONG_NAM",
			"value": "VALUE",
			"labels": ["name_truncated"]
		}, {
			"name":"NAME3",
			"value": "VERY_LONG_VALU",
			"labels": ["value_truncated"]
		}, {
			"name":"VERY_LONG_NAM4",
			"value": "VERY_LONG_VALU",
			"labels": ["name_truncated", "value_truncated"]
		}],
		...

[zschmerber]

I think this is much cleaner thanks @antchan2 !

[mikeradka]

@antchan2 @zschmerber I like the thought process here. Could we dig into this one on a little bit during the 12/13/24 System Call?

[antchan2]

@mikeradka Sure. I can join that call.

[mikeradka]

Note: name and value are of String data type rather than Long String data type.