convert a yaml file to a data structure

def parse_yaml_from_file(path):
    ''' convert a yaml file to a data structure '''

    try:
        data = file(path).read()
        return parse_yaml(data)
    except IOError:
        raise errors.AnsibleError("file not found: %s" % path)
    except yaml.YAMLError, exc:
        if hasattr(exc, 'problem_mark'):
            mark = exc.problem_mark
            if mark.line -1 >= 0:
                before_probline = data.split("\n")[mark.line-1]
            else:
                before_probline = ''
            probline = data.split("\n")[mark.line]
            arrow = " " * mark.column + "^"
            msg = """Syntax Error while loading YAML script, %s
Note: The error may actually appear before this position: line %s, column %s

%s
%s
%s""" % (path, mark.line + 1, mark.column + 1, before_probline, probline, arrow)
        else:
            # No problem markers means we have to throw a generic
            # "stuff messed up" type message. Sry bud.
            msg = "Could not parse YAML. Check over %s again." % path
        raise errors.AnsibleYAMLValidationFailed(msg)