key_value_parser should unescape strings

[gjasny]

Component(s)

pkg/stanza

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

I have a key-value coded log file where the value of some keys contains JSON data. Like this:

time="2025-02-19T17:49:48Z" level=info msg="{\"status\": \"OK\"}"

Right now, when being feed through the key_value_parser, the msg attribute contains the plain substring found between the " quotes:

{\"status\": \"OK\"}

One cannot easily feed that "escaped" string into the JSON parser.

Describe the solution you'd like

I'd like to have a key_value_parser configuration setting to un-escape quotes found in strings.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Right now I'm using the add operator with an EXPR to replace the \" with ". But I fear that this simple operation does not work in some corner cases.

Additional context

No response

[github-actions]

Pinging code owners:

• pkg/stanza: @djaglowski

See Adding Labels via Comments if you do not have permissions to add labels yourself.

[djaglowski]

Makes sense. Feel free to submit a PR or we can mark this as help wanted.

[github-actions]

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Pinging code owners:

• pkg/stanza: @djaglowski

See Adding Labels via Comments if you do not have permissions to add labels yourself.