test_list_parse.py

import re
import json
import ast

def _coerce_to_list(llm_output:str):
    if isinstance(llm_output, list):
        return llm_output

    # must make sure there's actually a list. Let's start with regex
    match = re.search(r'\[.*\]', llm_output, flags=re.DOTALL)
    if match:
        try:
            return json.loads(match.group(0))
        except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
            print("Failed standard load:", e)
            try:
                return ast.literal_eval(match.group(0))
            except Exception as e2:
                print("Failed ast load:", e2)

    raise ValueError("Cannot convert the LLM output to a list.")

print(_coerce_to_list("""
```json
[
  {"key": "value"}
]
```
"""))