This is a little tutorial on how to serialize chest inventories and items using SkBee.

Main serialization function

Code (Skript):

1. function serializeInventoryContents(inv: inventory) :: objects:
2.     loop (rows of {_inv})*9 times:
3.         set {_i} to slot (loop-value - 1) of {_inv}
4.         set {_contents::%loop-value%} to full nbt compound of {_i}
5.     return {_contents::*}

This function will take a chest inventory and convert every item in every slot into a full nbt compound.

Main deserialization function

Code (Skript):

1. function deserializeInventoryContents(serialized: objects, inv: inventory) :: inventory:
2.     if size of {_serialized::*}/9 = rows of {_inv}:
3.         loop {_serialized::*}:
4.             set {_i} to item from nbt loop-value
5.             set {_index} to loop-index parsed as integer
6.             set slot ({_index}-1) of {_inv} to {_i}
7.         return {_inv}
8.     else:
9.         send "&c[ERROR] Gui size invalid. Serialized list is size %size of {_serialized::*}/9% while input inventory is size %rows of {_inv}%." to console
10.     return {_inv}

This function will take a serialized list of nbt compounds and reformat an inventory from serialized items.

This is pretty much all you need to actually serialize items using SkBee. If you want a version where items are stored as strings instead (for databases), you have to change the code slightly and create some extra functions.

Serialization function (strings)

Code (Skript):

1. function serializeInventoryContents(inv: inventory) :: strings:
2.     loop (rows of {_inv})*9 times:
3.         set {_i} to slot (loop-value - 1) of {_inv}
4.         set {_contents::%loop-value%} to "%full nbt compound of {_i}%"
5.     return {_contents::*}

Deserialization function (strings)

Code (Skript):

1. function deserializeInventoryContents(serialized: strings, inv: inventory) :: inventory:
2.     if size of {_serialized::*}/9 = rows of {_inv}:
3.         loop {_serialized::*}:
4.             set {_i} to item from nbt (nbt compound from loop-value)
5.             set {_index} to loop-index parsed as integer
6.             set slot ({_index}-1) of {_inv} to {_i}
7.         return {_inv}
8.     else:
9.         send "&c[ERROR] Gui size invalid. Serialized list is size %size of {_serialized::*}/9% while input inventory is size %rows of {_inv}%." to console
10.     return {_inv}

Want to serialize an inventory all into one string? Here is how:

Code (Skript):

1. function getSerializedSingleString(inv: inventory) :: string:
2.     loop (rows of {_inv})*9 times:
3.         set {_i} to slot (loop-value - 1) of {_inv}
4.         set {_contents::%loop-value%} to "%full nbt compound of {_i}%"
5.     return join {_contents::*} by "^*^"

Note: I'm using "^*^" as a delimiter in this case. You can choose to split by a different value, just make sure its a value that probably will never show up in an items data.

Deserialize single string (Using the function from above)

Code (Skript):

1. function deserializeSingleString(serialized: string, inv: inventory) :: inventory:
2.     return deserializeInventoryContents(split {_serialized} by "^*^", {_inv})

Examples:

Single string serialization/deserialization

Code (Skript):

1. command /teststringserial:
2.     trigger:
3.    
4.         # Setup inventory
5.         set {_inv} to chest inventory with 6 rows named "Hello"
6.         set slot 4 of {_inv} to 1 of apple
7.         set slot 15 of {_inv} to 1 of stone
8.         set slot 43 of {_inv} to 1 of stone axe
9.        
10.         # Get inventory serialized as one string
11.         set {_contents} to getSerializedSingleString({_inv})
12.         broadcast {_contents}
13.  
14.         # Deserialize our string from earlier
15.         set {_newinv} to deserializeSingleString({_contents}, chest inventory with 6 rows named "Hello")
16.         open {_newinv} to player

Using compounds list

Code (Skript):

1. command /testserial:
2.     trigger:
3.    
4.         # Setup inventory
5.         set {_inv} to chest inventory with 6 rows named "Hello"
6.         set slot 4 of {_inv} to 1 of apple
7.         set slot 15 of {_inv} to 1 of stone
8.         set slot 43 of {_inv} to 1 of stone axe
9.        
10.         # Get inventory serialized as nbt compounds
11.         set {_contents::*} to serializeInventoryContents({_inv})
12.         broadcast "%{_contents::*}%"
13.  
14.         # Deserialize our compounds from earlier
15.         set {_newinv} to deserializeInventoryContents({_contents::*}, chest inventory with 6 rows named "Hello")
16.         open {_newinv} to player

If you want a list of strings for serialized items, you'd basically use the same code as above, just make sure you have the functions formatted for strings instead of nbt compounds.