Importing and exporting Tables with mixed dimensions

Questions
,
1

How can I export a table which looks like this:

{{{1, 2}, {4, 5}}, {5}, {1, 2, 3, 4}}

And then Import it so that the list will be the same? I tried csv and txt with “Table” and “Data” options. They just either add additional commas in wrong places or for the case of csv interprets some parts as strings.

2

If you want to save Mathematica symbols and variables, it might be better to save DumpSave, as in

SetDirectory[NotebookDirectory[]];
lst = {{{1, 2}, {4, 5}}, {5}, {1, 2, 3, 4}};
DumpSave["foo.mx", lst];
Clear[lst];
Get["foo.mx"];
lst
(* {{{1, 2}, {4, 5}}, {5}, {1, 2, 3, 4}} *)

You can also use “List” but you’d have to use ToExpression. So I think mx might be better

SetDirectory[NotebookDirectory[]];
lst = {{{1, 2}, {4, 5}}, {5}, {1, 2, 3, 4}};
Export["foo.txt", lst, "List"];
lst0 = ToExpression[Import["foo.txt", "List"]];
lst === lst0
(*  True  *)
3

Thanks. I can’t do dumpsave as I need to be able to transfer files between machines.

4

Simple text works

lm = {{{1, 2}, {4, 5}}, {5}, {1, 2, 3, 4}}
SetDirectory["H:\\"];
Put[lm, "test.txt"]
newlm = << "test.txt";
lm == newlm

Result is “True”

5

Thanks!