Python pickle serialization format: Lua parsing library

Python Pickle format serializes Python objects to a byte stream, as a sequence of operations to run on the Pickle Virtual Machine.

The format is mostly implementation defined, there is no formal specification. Pickle data types are closely coupled to the Python object model. Python singletons, and most builtin types (e.g. None, int,dict, list) are serialised using dedicated Pickle opcodes. Other builtin types, and all classes (e.g. set, datetime.datetime) are serialised by encoding the name of a constructor callable. They are deserialised by importing that constructor, and calling it. So, unpickling an arbitrary pickle, using the Python's stdlib pickle module can cause arbitrary code execution.

Pickle format has evolved with Python, later protocols add opcodes & types. Later Python releases can pickle to or unpickle from any earlier protocol.

  • Protocol 0: ASCII clean, no explicit version, fields are '\n' terminated.
  • Protocol 1: Binary, no explicit version, first length prefixed types.
  • Protocol 2 (PEP 307): Python 2.3+. Explicit versioning, more length prefixed types.
  • Protocol 3: Python 3.0+. Dedicated opcodes for bytes objects.
  • Protocol 4 (PEP 3154): Python 3.4+. Opcodes for 64 bit strings, framing, set.
  • Protocol 5 (PEP 574): Python 3.8+: Opcodes for bytearray and out of band data

Application

Python

File extension

["pickle", "pkl"]

KS implementation details

License: CC0-1.0

References

This page hosts a formal specification of Python pickle serialization format using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.

Lua source code to parse Python pickle serialization format

python_pickle.lua

Download 

-- This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
--
-- This file is compatible with Lua 5.3

local class = require("class")
require("kaitaistruct")
local enum = require("enum")
local str_decode = require("string_decode")

-- 
-- Python Pickle format serializes Python objects to a byte stream, as a sequence
-- of operations to run on the Pickle Virtual Machine.
-- 
-- The format is mostly implementation defined, there is no formal specification.
-- Pickle data types are closely coupled to the Python object model.
-- Python singletons, and most builtin types (e.g. `None`, `int`,`dict`, `list`)
-- are serialised using dedicated Pickle opcodes.
-- Other builtin types, and all classes  (e.g. `set`, `datetime.datetime`) are
-- serialised by encoding the name of a constructor callable.
-- They are deserialised by importing that constructor, and calling it.
-- So, unpickling an arbitrary pickle, using the Python's stdlib pickle module
-- can cause arbitrary code execution.
-- 
-- Pickle format has evolved with Python, later protocols add opcodes & types.
-- Later Python releases can pickle to or unpickle from any earlier protocol.
-- 
-- * Protocol 0: ASCII clean, no explicit version, fields are '\n' terminated.
-- * Protocol 1: Binary, no explicit version, first length prefixed types.
-- * Protocol 2 ([PEP 307](https://peps.python.org/pep-0307/)): Python 2.3+.
--   Explicit versioning, more length prefixed types.
-- * Protocol 3: Python 3.0+. Dedicated opcodes for `bytes` objects.
-- * Protocol 4 ([PEP 3154](https://peps.python.org/pep-3154/)): Python 3.4+.
--   Opcodes for 64 bit strings, framing, `set`.
-- * Protocol 5 ([PEP 574](https://peps.python.org/pep-0574/)): Python 3.8+:
-- Opcodes for `bytearray` and out of band data
-- See also: Source (https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/v3.8.1/Lib/pickletools.py)
PythonPickle = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

PythonPickle.Opcode = enum.Enum {
  mark = 40,
  empty_tuple = 41,
  stop = 46,
  pop = 48,
  pop_mark = 49,
  dup = 50,
  binbytes = 66,
  short_binbytes = 67,
  float = 70,
  binfloat = 71,
  int = 73,
  binint = 74,
  binint1 = 75,
  long = 76,
  binint2 = 77,
  none = 78,
  persid = 80,
  binpersid = 81,
  reduce = 82,
  string = 83,
  binstring = 84,
  short_binstring = 85,
  unicode = 86,
  binunicode = 88,
  empty_list = 93,
  append = 97,
  build = 98,
  global_opcode = 99,
  dict = 100,
  appends = 101,
  get = 103,
  binget = 104,
  inst = 105,
  long_binget = 106,
  list = 108,
  obj = 111,
  put = 112,
  binput = 113,
  long_binput = 114,
  setitem = 115,
  tuple = 116,
  setitems = 117,
  empty_dict = 125,
  proto = 128,
  newobj = 129,
  ext1 = 130,
  ext2 = 131,
  ext4 = 132,
  tuple1 = 133,
  tuple2 = 134,
  tuple3 = 135,
  newtrue = 136,
  newfalse = 137,
  long1 = 138,
  long4 = 139,
  short_binunicode = 140,
  binunicode8 = 141,
  binbytes8 = 142,
  empty_set = 143,
  additems = 144,
  frozenset = 145,
  newobj_ex = 146,
  stack_global = 147,
  memoize = 148,
  frame = 149,
  bytearray8 = 150,
  next_buffer = 151,
  readonly_buffer = 152,
}

function PythonPickle:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle:_read()
  self.ops = {}
  local i = 0
  while true do
    local _ = PythonPickle.Op(self._io, self, self._root)
    self.ops[i + 1] = _
    if _.code == PythonPickle.Opcode.stop then
      break
    end
    i = i + 1
  end
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 2**64-1 bytes long.
-- 
-- Only a 64-bit build of Python would produce a pickle containing strings
-- large enough to need this type. Such a pickle could not be unpickled on
-- a 32-bit build of Python, because the string would be larger than
-- `sys.maxsize`.
PythonPickle.Unicodestring8 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Unicodestring8:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Unicodestring8:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u8le()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes(self.len), "utf8")
end


-- 
-- Large signed integer, in the range -2**(8*255-1) to 2**(8*255-1)-1,
-- encoded as two's complement.
PythonPickle.Long1 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Long1:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Long1:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u1()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 2**64-1 bytes long.
-- 
-- Only a 64-bit build of Python would produce a pickle containing strings
-- large enough to need this type. Such a pickle could not be unpickled on
-- a 32-bit build of Python, because the string would be larger than
-- `sys.maxsize`.
PythonPickle.Bytes8 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Bytes8:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Bytes8:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u8le()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed byte string, between 0 and 255 bytes long.
PythonPickle.Bytes1 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Bytes1:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Bytes1:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u1()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 2**32-1 bytes long.
PythonPickle.Bytes4 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Bytes4:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Bytes4:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


-- 
-- Some opcodes take no argument, this empty type is used for them.
PythonPickle.NoArg = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.NoArg:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.NoArg:_read()
end


-- 
-- Unquoted string, does not contain string escapes.
PythonPickle.StringnlNoescape = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.StringnlNoescape:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.StringnlNoescape:_read()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes_term(10, false, true, true), "ascii")
end


-- 
-- Integer, encoded with the ASCII chracters [0-9-], followed by 'L'.
PythonPickle.DecimalnlLong = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.DecimalnlLong:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.DecimalnlLong:_read()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes_term(10, false, true, true), "ascii")
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 2**32-1 bytes long.
PythonPickle.Unicodestring4 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Unicodestring4:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Unicodestring4:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes(self.len), "utf8")
end


-- 
-- Unquoted string, containing Python Unicode escapes.
PythonPickle.Unicodestringnl = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Unicodestringnl:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Unicodestringnl:_read()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes_term(10, false, true, true), "ascii")
end


-- 
-- Large signed integer, in the range -2**(8*2**32-1) to 2**(8*2**32-1)-1,
-- encoded as two's complement.
PythonPickle.Long4 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Long4:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Long4:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u4le()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 255 bytes long. Encoding is
-- unspecified.
-- 
-- The default Python 2.x string type (`str`) is a sequence of bytes.
-- These are pickled as `string1` or `string4`, when protocol == 2.
-- The bytes are written directly, no explicit encoding is performed.
-- 
-- Python 3.x will not pickle an object as `string1` or `string4`.
-- Instead, opcodes and types with a known encoding are used.
-- When unpickling
-- 
-- - `pickle.Unpickler` objects default to ASCII, which can be overriden
-- - `pickletools.dis` uses latin1, and cannot be overriden
-- See also: Source (https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/bb8071a4cae/Lib/pickle.py#L486-L495)
PythonPickle.String1 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.String1:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.String1:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u1()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 2**64-1 bytes long.
-- 
-- The contents are deserilised into a `bytearray` object.
PythonPickle.Bytearray8 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Bytearray8:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Bytearray8:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u8le()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


-- 
-- Integer or boolean, encoded with the ASCII characters [0-9-].
-- 
-- The values '00' and '01' encode the Python values `False` and `True`.
-- Normally a value would not contain leading '0' characters.
PythonPickle.DecimalnlShort = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.DecimalnlShort:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.DecimalnlShort:_read()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes_term(10, false, true, true), "ascii")
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 255 bytes long.
PythonPickle.Unicodestring1 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Unicodestring1:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Unicodestring1:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_u1()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes(self.len), "utf8")
end


-- 
-- Quoted string, possibly containing Python string escapes.
PythonPickle.Stringnl = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Stringnl:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Stringnl:_read()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes_term(10, false, true, true), "ascii")
end


-- 
-- Pair of unquoted, unescaped strings.
PythonPickle.StringnlNoescapePair = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.StringnlNoescapePair:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.StringnlNoescapePair:_read()
  self.val1 = PythonPickle.StringnlNoescape(self._io, self, self._root)
  self.val2 = PythonPickle.StringnlNoescape(self._io, self, self._root)
end


-- 
-- Length prefixed string, between 0 and 2**31-1 bytes long. Encoding is
-- unspecified.
-- 
-- Although the len field is signed, any length < 0 will raise an exception
-- during unpickling.
-- 
-- See the documentation for `string1` for further detail about encodings.
-- See also: Source (https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/bb8071a4cae/Lib/pickle.py#L486-L495)
PythonPickle.String4 = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.String4:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.String4:_read()
  self.len = self._io:read_s4le()
  self.val = self._io:read_bytes(self.len)
end


PythonPickle.Op = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Op:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Op:_read()
  self.code = PythonPickle.Opcode(self._io:read_u1())
  local _on = self.code
  if _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.ext4 then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u4le()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.tuple1 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.setitem then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.readonly_buffer then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.stop then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.ext2 then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u2le()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.empty_tuple then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.newtrue then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.long then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.DecimalnlLong(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.newobj then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.bytearray8 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Bytearray8(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.put then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.DecimalnlShort(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.stack_global then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.pop_mark then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.append then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.newfalse then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binpersid then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.build then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.empty_dict then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.tuple2 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.long4 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Long4(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.next_buffer then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.appends then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binbytes then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Bytes4(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.dup then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.list then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.proto then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u1()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.pop then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.frame then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u8le()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.string then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Stringnl(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binunicode then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Unicodestring4(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.float then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Floatnl(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.reduce then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.global_opcode then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.StringnlNoescapePair(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binput then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u1()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.memoize then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.persid then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.StringnlNoescape(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.ext1 then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u1()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.none then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.short_binunicode then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Unicodestring1(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.obj then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binfloat then
    self.arg = self._io:read_f8be()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.newobj_ex then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.empty_list then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.tuple then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binunicode8 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Unicodestring8(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binget then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u1()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.dict then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binstring then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.String4(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.setitems then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binint2 then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u2le()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binbytes8 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Bytes8(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binint1 then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u1()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.inst then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.StringnlNoescapePair(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.long_binget then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u4le()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.long_binput then
    self.arg = self._io:read_u4le()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.int then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.DecimalnlShort(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.binint then
    self.arg = self._io:read_s4le()
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.unicode then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Unicodestringnl(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.long1 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Long1(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.short_binstring then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.String1(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.mark then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.frozenset then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.tuple3 then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.additems then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.get then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.DecimalnlShort(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.empty_set then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.NoArg(self._io, self, self._root)
  elseif _on == PythonPickle.Opcode.short_binbytes then
    self.arg = PythonPickle.Bytes1(self._io, self, self._root)
  end
end

-- 
-- Operation code that determines which action should be
-- performed next by the Pickle Virtual Machine. Some opcodes
-- are only available in later versions of the Pickle protocol.
-- 
-- Optional argument for the operation. Data type and length
-- are determined by the value of the opcode.

-- 
-- Double float, encoded with the ASCII characters [0-9.e+-], '-inf', 'inf',
-- or 'nan'.
PythonPickle.Floatnl = class.class(KaitaiStruct)

function PythonPickle.Floatnl:_init(io, parent, root)
  KaitaiStruct._init(self, io)
  self._parent = parent
  self._root = root or self
  self:_read()
end

function PythonPickle.Floatnl:_read()
  self.val = str_decode.decode(self._io:read_bytes_term(10, false, true, true), "ascii")
end