How does YAML Interpret Special Characters

Question

So, I'm attempting to write a plugin configuration file in YAML, but my parser is throwing errors even though everything seems to be formatted correctly. The YAML website is less than helpful, and the only place I've found a tutorial of any kind is the spotty one at docs.ansible.com/ansible/YAMLSyntax.html. Since I am probably missing something silly in the syntax from a general lack of YAML syntax knowledge, what do each of the YAML special characters do?

For reference, here is my misbehaving YAML file:

EnforcedWorlds:|
  - World
  - Nether
  - DIM-1
  - End
  - DIM1
Ignore List:|
  - CuckooClock5000
  - Venomous Potato
  - Subtle Snail
Radius: 10
DisallowInRadius:|
  - Sandstone => "Darude Sandstone!"
  - Quarry (1040) => "This block is too L33T 4U 2 Use here :)"
  - Minium Stone (20102 with datavalues 1 to 1520) => "Minimum Minium area!"
Command Output groups:
  Mod:|
    - Perm Node: gpu.mod
    - (Light Green) $(Banner)
    - (Teal) Command A
    - (Pink) Command B
  Admin:|
    - Perm Node: gpu.admin
    - (Light Red) $(Banner)
    - Mod lines 2-3
    - (Blue) Command C
    - (Bold)
  Owner:|
    - Mod lines 1-3
    - Admin line 2

Answer 1

YAML doesn't require quoting most strings but you'll want to quote special characters if they fall within a certain list of characters. Use quotes if your value includes any of the following special characters: {, }, [, ], &, *, #, ?, |, -, <, >, =, !, %, @, : also ` and ,

• YAML Spec