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This is probably something you learn in programming 101.
Disclaimer: I have no formal programming training. I am self-taught.
For me, literal hash is like what this website suggests: a third editable hash called "corned beef hash".
In Ruby, you have two data types:
hash
hash literals
Why is one called a literal? Is it because you literally type out the associative array? The website above claims it is because the definition is inline. If so, why is the hash not also called literal when you can type it out like this:
states = Hash.new
states["CA"] = "California"
states["MA"] = "Massachusetts"
states["NY"] = "New York"
states["MA"].reverse #=> "sttesuhcassaM"
The data type is just one: Hash. Hash is a class. You can instantiate objects and use them
h = Hash.new
h.store("CA", "California")
h["MA"] = "Massachusetts"
A literal is just a shortcut which let you create objects of that class without explicitly use that class.
h = { "CA" => "California", "MA" => "Massachusetts" }
Same for Arrays
a = Array.new
a.push(1)
a << 2
Or, with array literal
a = [1, 2]
Your confusion stems from this misconception:
In Ruby, you have two data types:
hash
hash literals
Firstly, there are many more data structures in the Ruby core.
But secondly, there is no such thing as "literal hash". Hash literals refer to syntax sugar for defining hashes in place, aka literally.
# This is a hash literal
x = {foo: 42, bar: :baz}
# This is not a hash literal
x = Hash.new
x[:foo] = 42
x[:bar] = :baz
They are completely identical. The only difference is one is more convenient, while the other is more dynamic.
A literal is a fixed value.
It cannot be edited, unless you assign it to a variable and then modify that (although then of course you are not actually modifying the literal).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literal_(computer_programming)
So you can assign a literal to a variable, compare a variable to a literal, compare two literals, but you cannot in general modify a literal directly.
Edit: Note that cases where a literal is modified turn out to be creating a new object, unlike the same operation performed on a variable.
2.2.5 :001 > "foo".upcase!
=> "FOO"
2.2.5 :002 > "foo".object_id
=> 2204993280
2.2.5 :003 > "foo".upcase!.object_id
=> 2204964760
2.2.5 :004 > x = "foo"
=> "foo"
2.2.5 :005 > x.object_id
=> 2204927520
2.2.5 :006 > x.upcase!.object_id
=> 2204927520
2.2.5 :007 >
I want a method like to_numeric(str) which convert numeric string 'str' into its numeric form else return nil. By numeric form if string is in integer method should return integer and it string is in float it should return float.
I have tried with following code. It works fine but need better solution if possible.
def to_numeric(str)
Integer(str)
rescue
Float(str) if Float(str) rescue nil
end
One important thing I forgot to mention is "I don't know the type of my input".
My use case:
arr = [1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4]
some_input = get_input_from_some_source
if arr.include?(to_numeric(some_input))
# do something
end
You can use BigDecimal#frac to achieve what you want
require 'bigdecimal'
def to_numeric(anything)
num = BigDecimal.new(anything.to_s)
if num.frac == 0
num.to_i
else
num.to_f
end
end
It can handle
#floats
to_numeric(2.3) #=> 2.3
#rationals
to_numeric(0.2E-4) #=> 2.0e-05
#integers
to_numeric(1) #=> 1
#big decimals
to_numeric(BigDecimal.new("2"))
And floats, rationals and integers in form of strings, too
Convert it to Float using String#to_f method. Since ruby using duck typing you may not care if it can be an Integer.
If it looks like a numeric, swims like a numeric and quacks like a numeric, then it probably is a numeric.
But be aware! to_f does not throw any exceptions:
"foobar".to_f # => 0
If you really insist to differentiate between Integer and Floats, then you can implement to_numeric like this:
def to_numeric(thing)
return thing.to_s.to_i if thing.to_s == thing.to_s.to_i.to_s
return thing.to_s.to_f if thing.to_s == thing.to_s.to_f.to_s
thing
end
It converts an object to an integer, if its string representation looks like an integer (same with float), or returns the unchanged thing if not:
['1', '1.5', 'foo', :bar, '2', '2.5', File].map {|obj| to_numeric obj}
# => [1, 1.5, "foo", :bar, 2, 2.5, File]
Here are some options:
Use floats for comparison:
arr = [1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 4]
arr.include? "4.0".to_f #=> true
Use strings for comparison:
arr = %w(1 1.5 2 2.5 4)
arr.include? "4" #=> true
Use eval for conversion:
eval("4.0") #=> 4.0
eval("4") #=> 4
But you have to be very careful when using eval, see #tessi's comment.
def to_numeric(str)
str.include?(".") ? str.to_f : str.to_i
end
In Perl to perform a hash update based on arrays of keys and values I can do something like:
#hash{'key1','key2','key3'} = ('val1','val2','val3');
In Ruby I could do something similar in a more complicated way:
hash.merge!(Hash[ *[['key1','key2','key3'],['val1','val2','val3']].transpose ])
OK but I doubt the effectivity of such procedure.
Now I would like to do a more complex assignment in a single line.
Perl example:
(#hash{'key1','key2','key3'}, $key4) = &some_function();
I have no idea if such a thing is possible in some simple Ruby way. Any hints?
For the Perl impaired, #hash{'key1','key2','key3'} = ('a', 'b', 'c') is a hash slice and is a shorthand for something like this:
$hash{'key1'} = 'a';
$hash{'key2'} = 'b';
$hash{'key3'} = 'c';
In Ruby 1.9 Hash.[] can take as its argument an array of two-valued arrays (in addition to the old behavior of a flat list of alternative key/value arguments). So it's relatively simple to do:
mash.merge!( Hash[ keys.zip(values) ] )
I do not know perl, so I'm not sure what your final "more complex assignment" is trying to do. Can you explain in words—or with the sample input and output—what you are trying to achieve?
Edit: based on the discussion in #fl00r's answer, you can do this:
def f(n)
# return n arguments
(1..n).to_a
end
h = {}
keys = [:a,:b,:c]
*vals, last = f(4)
h.merge!( Hash[ keys.zip(vals) ] )
p vals, last, h
#=> [1, 2, 3]
#=> 4
#=> {:a=>1, :b=>2, :c=>3}
The code *a, b = some_array will assign the last element to b and create a as an array of the other values. This syntax requires Ruby 1.9. If you require 1.8 compatibility, you can do:
vals = f(4)
last = vals.pop
h.merge!( Hash[ *keys.zip(vals).flatten ] )
You could redefine []= to support this:
class Hash
def []=(*args)
*keys, vals = args # if this doesn't work in your version of ruby, use "keys, vals = args[0...-1], args.last"
merge! Hash[keys.zip(vals.respond_to?(:each) ? vals : [vals])]
end
end
Now use
myhash[:key1, :key2, :key3] = :val1, :val2, :val3
# or
myhash[:key1, :key2, :key3] = some_method_returning_three_values
# or even
*myhash[:key1, :key2, :key3], local_var = some_method_returning_four_values
you can do this
def some_method
# some code that return this:
[{:key1 => 1, :key2 => 2, :key3 => 3}, 145]
end
hash, key = some_method
puts hash
#=> {:key1 => 1, :key2 => 2, :key3 => 3}
puts key
#=> 145
UPD
In Ruby you can do "parallel assignment", but you can't use hashes like you do in Perl (hash{:a, :b, :c)). But you can try this:
hash[:key1], hash[:key2], hash[:key3], key4 = some_method
where some_method returns an Array with 4 elements.
I've got a list of values that are in a Ruby hash. Is there a way to check the value of the key and if it equals "X", then do "Y"?
I can test to see if the hash has a key using hash.has_key?, but now I need to know if hash.key == "X" then...?
Hashes are indexed using the square brackets ([]). Just as arrays. But instead of indexing with the numerical index, hashes are indexed using either the string literal you used for the key, or the symbol.
So if your hash is similar to
hash = { "key1" => "value1", "key2" => "value2" }
you can access the value with
hash["key1"]
or for
hash = { :key1 => "value1", :key2 => "value2"}
or the new format supported in Ruby 1.9
hash = { key1: "value1", key2: "value2" }
you can access the value with
hash[:key1]
This question seems to be ambiguous.
I'll try with my interpretation of the request.
def do_something(data)
puts "Found! #{data}"
end
a = { 'x' => 'test', 'y' => 'foo', 'z' => 'bar' }
a.each { |key,value| do_something(value) if key == 'x' }
This will loop over all the key,value pairs and do something only if the key is 'x'.
As an addition to e.g. #Intrepidd s answer, in certain situations you want to use fetch instead of []. For fetch not to throw an exception when the key is not found, pass it a default value.
puts "ok" if hash.fetch('key', nil) == 'X'
Reference: https://docs.ruby-lang.org/en/2.3.0/Hash.html .
How about this?
puts "ok" if hash_variable["key"] == "X"
You can access hash values with the [] operator
It seems that your question is maybe a bit ambiguous.
If “values” in the first sentence means any generic value (i.e. object, since everything in Ruby can be viewed as an object), then one of the other answers probably tells you what you need to know (i.e. use Hash#[] (e.g. hash[some_key]) to find the value associated with a key).
If, however, “values” in first sentence is taken to mean the value part of the “key, value pairs” (as are stored in hashes), then your question seems like it might be about working in the other direction (key for a given value).
You can find a key that leads to a certain value with Hash#key.
ruby-1.9.2-head :001 > hash = { :a => '1', :b => :two, :c => 3, 'bee' => :two }
=> {:a=>"1", :b=>:two, :c=>3, "bee"=>:two}
ruby-1.9.2-head :002 > a_value = :two
=> :two
ruby-1.9.2-head :003 > hash.key(a_value)
=> :b
If you are using a Ruby earlier than 1.9, you can use Hash#index.
When there are multiple keys with the desired value, the method will only return one of them. If you want all the keys with a given value, you may have to iterate a bit:
ruby-1.9.2-head :004 > hash[:b] == hash['bee']
=> true
ruby-1.9.2-head :005 > keys = hash.inject([]) do # all keys with value a_value
ruby-1.9.2-head :006 > |l,kv| kv[1] == a_value ? l << kv[0] : l
ruby-1.9.2-head :007?> end
=> [:b, "bee"]
Once you have a key (the keys) that lead to the value, you can compare them and act on them with if/unless/case expressions, custom methods that take blocks, et cetera. Just how you compare them depends on the kind of objects you are using for keys (people often use strings and symbols, but Ruby hashes can use any kind of object as keys (as long as they are not modified while they serve as keys)).
I didn't understand your problem clearly but I think this is what you're looking for(Based on my understanding)
person = {"name"=>"BillGates", "company_name"=>"Microsoft", "position"=>"Chairman"}
person.delete_if {|key, value| key == "name"} #doing something if the key == "something"
Output: {"company_name"=>"Microsoft", "position"=>"Chairman"}
What's the (fastest/cleanest/straightforward) way to convert all keys in a hash from strings to symbols in Ruby?
This would be handy when parsing YAML.
my_hash = YAML.load_file('yml')
I'd like to be able to use:
my_hash[:key]
Rather than:
my_hash['key']
In Ruby >= 2.5 (docs) you can use:
my_hash.transform_keys(&:to_sym)
Using older Ruby version? Here is a one-liner that will copy the hash into a new one with the keys symbolized:
my_hash = my_hash.inject({}){|memo,(k,v)| memo[k.to_sym] = v; memo}
With Rails you can use:
my_hash.symbolize_keys
my_hash.deep_symbolize_keys
Here's a better method, if you're using Rails:
params.symbolize_keys
The end.
If you're not, just rip off their code (it's also in the link):
myhash.keys.each do |key|
myhash[(key.to_sym rescue key) || key] = myhash.delete(key)
end
For the specific case of YAML in Ruby, if the keys begin with ':', they will be automatically interned as symbols.
require 'yaml'
require 'pp'
yaml_str = "
connections:
- host: host1.example.com
port: 10000
- host: host2.example.com
port: 20000
"
yaml_sym = "
:connections:
- :host: host1.example.com
:port: 10000
- :host: host2.example.com
:port: 20000
"
pp yaml_str = YAML.load(yaml_str)
puts yaml_str.keys.first.class
pp yaml_sym = YAML.load(yaml_sym)
puts yaml_sym.keys.first.class
Output:
# /opt/ruby-1.8.6-p287/bin/ruby ~/test.rb
{"connections"=>
[{"port"=>10000, "host"=>"host1.example.com"},
{"port"=>20000, "host"=>"host2.example.com"}]}
String
{:connections=>
[{:port=>10000, :host=>"host1.example.com"},
{:port=>20000, :host=>"host2.example.com"}]}
Symbol
if you're using Rails, it is much simpler - you can use a HashWithIndifferentAccess and access the keys both as String and as Symbols:
my_hash.with_indifferent_access
see also:
http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActiveSupport/HashWithIndifferentAccess.html
Or you can use the awesome "Facets of Ruby" Gem, which contains a lot of extensions to Ruby Core and Standard Library classes.
require 'facets'
> {'some' => 'thing', 'foo' => 'bar'}.symbolize_keys
=> {:some=>"thing", :foo=>"bar}
see also:
http://rubyworks.github.io/rubyfaux/?doc=http://rubyworks.github.io/facets/docs/facets-2.9.3/core.json#api-class-Hash
Even more terse:
Hash[my_hash.map{|(k,v)| [k.to_sym,v]}]
Since Ruby 2.5.0 you can use Hash#transform_keys or Hash#transform_keys!.
{'a' => 1, 'b' => 2}.transform_keys(&:to_sym) #=> {:a => 1, :b => 2}
http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/Hash.html#method-i-symbolize_keys
hash = { 'name' => 'Rob', 'age' => '28' }
hash.symbolize_keys
# => { name: "Rob", age: "28" }
If you are using json, and want to use it as a hash, in core Ruby you can do it:
json_obj = JSON.parse(json_str, symbolize_names: true)
symbolize_names: If set to true, returns symbols for the names (keys) in a JSON object. Otherwise strings are returned. Strings are the default.
Doc: Json#parse symbolize_names
Here's a way to deep symbolize an object
def symbolize(obj)
return obj.inject({}){|memo,(k,v)| memo[k.to_sym] = symbolize(v); memo} if obj.is_a? Hash
return obj.inject([]){|memo,v | memo << symbolize(v); memo} if obj.is_a? Array
return obj
end
I really like the Mash gem.
you can do mash['key'], or mash[:key], or mash.key
A modification to #igorsales answer
class Object
def deep_symbolize_keys
return self.inject({}){|memo,(k,v)| memo[k.to_sym] = v.deep_symbolize_keys; memo} if self.is_a? Hash
return self.inject([]){|memo,v | memo << v.deep_symbolize_keys; memo} if self.is_a? Array
return self
end
end
params.symbolize_keys will also work. This method turns hash keys into symbols and returns a new hash.
In Rails you can use:
{'g'=> 'a', 2 => {'v' => 'b', 'x' => { 'z' => 'c'}}}.deep_symbolize_keys!
Converts to:
{:g=>"a", 2=>{:v=>"b", :x=>{:z=>"c"}}}
So many answers here, but the one method rails function is hash.symbolize_keys
This is my one liner for nested hashes
def symbolize_keys(hash)
hash.each_with_object({}) { |(k, v), h| h[k.to_sym] = v.is_a?(Hash) ? symbolize_keys(v) : v }
end
In case the reason you need to do this is because your data originally came from JSON, you could skip any of this parsing by just passing in the :symbolize_names option upon ingesting JSON.
No Rails required and works with Ruby >1.9
JSON.parse(my_json, :symbolize_names => true)
You could be lazy, and wrap it in a lambda:
my_hash = YAML.load_file('yml')
my_lamb = lambda { |key| my_hash[key.to_s] }
my_lamb[:a] == my_hash['a'] #=> true
But this would only work for reading from the hash - not writing.
To do that, you could use Hash#merge
my_hash = Hash.new { |h,k| h[k] = h[k.to_s] }.merge(YAML.load_file('yml'))
The init block will convert the keys one time on demand, though if you update the value for the string version of the key after accessing the symbol version, the symbol version won't be updated.
irb> x = { 'a' => 1, 'b' => 2 }
#=> {"a"=>1, "b"=>2}
irb> y = Hash.new { |h,k| h[k] = h[k.to_s] }.merge(x)
#=> {"a"=>1, "b"=>2}
irb> y[:a] # the key :a doesn't exist for y, so the init block is called
#=> 1
irb> y
#=> {"a"=>1, :a=>1, "b"=>2}
irb> y[:a] # the key :a now exists for y, so the init block is isn't called
#=> 1
irb> y['a'] = 3
#=> 3
irb> y
#=> {"a"=>3, :a=>1, "b"=>2}
You could also have the init block not update the hash, which would protect you from that kind of error, but you'd still be vulnerable to the opposite - updating the symbol version wouldn't update the string version:
irb> q = { 'c' => 4, 'd' => 5 }
#=> {"c"=>4, "d"=>5}
irb> r = Hash.new { |h,k| h[k.to_s] }.merge(q)
#=> {"c"=>4, "d"=>5}
irb> r[:c] # init block is called
#=> 4
irb> r
#=> {"c"=>4, "d"=>5}
irb> r[:c] # init block is called again, since this key still isn't in r
#=> 4
irb> r[:c] = 7
#=> 7
irb> r
#=> {:c=>7, "c"=>4, "d"=>5}
So the thing to be careful of with these is switching between the two key forms. Stick with one.
Would something like the following work?
new_hash = Hash.new
my_hash.each { |k, v| new_hash[k.to_sym] = v }
It'll copy the hash, but you won't care about that most of the time. There's probably a way to do it without copying all the data.
a shorter one-liner fwiw:
my_hash.inject({}){|h,(k,v)| h.merge({ k.to_sym => v}) }
How about this:
my_hash = HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(YAML.load_file('yml'))
# my_hash['key'] => "val"
# my_hash[:key] => "val"
This is for people who uses mruby and do not have any symbolize_keys method defined:
class Hash
def symbolize_keys!
self.keys.each do |k|
if self[k].is_a? Hash
self[k].symbolize_keys!
end
if k.is_a? String
raise RuntimeError, "Symbolizing key '#{k}' means overwrite some data (key :#{k} exists)" if self[k.to_sym]
self[k.to_sym] = self[k]
self.delete(k)
end
end
return self
end
end
The method:
symbolizes only keys that are String
if symbolize a string means to lose some informations (overwrite part of hash) raise a RuntimeError
symbolize also recursively contained hashes
return the symbolized hash
works in place!
The array we want to change.
strings = ["HTML", "CSS", "JavaScript", "Python", "Ruby"]
Make a new variable as an empty array so we can ".push" the symbols in.
symbols = [ ]
Here's where we define a method with a block.
strings.each {|x| symbols.push(x.intern)}
End of code.
So this is probably the most straightforward way to convert strings to symbols in your array(s) in Ruby. Make an array of strings then make a new variable and set the variable to an empty array. Then select each element in the first array you created with the ".each" method. Then use a block code to ".push" all of the elements in your new array and use ".intern or .to_sym" to convert all the elements to symbols.
Symbols are faster because they save more memory within your code and you can only use them once. Symbols are most commonly used for keys in hash which is great. I'm the not the best ruby programmer but this form of code helped me a lot.If anyone knows a better way please share and you can use this method for hash too!
If you would like vanilla ruby solution and as me do not have access to ActiveSupport here is deep symbolize solution (very similar to previous ones)
def deep_convert(element)
return element.collect { |e| deep_convert(e) } if element.is_a?(Array)
return element.inject({}) { |sh,(k,v)| sh[k.to_sym] = deep_convert(v); sh } if element.is_a?(Hash)
element
end
Starting on Psych 3.0 you can add the symbolize_names: option
Psych.load("---\n foo: bar")
# => {"foo"=>"bar"}
Psych.load("---\n foo: bar", symbolize_names: true)
# => {:foo=>"bar"}
Note: if you have a lower Psych version than 3.0 symbolize_names: will be silently ignored.
My Ubuntu 18.04 includes it out of the box with ruby 2.5.1p57
ruby-1.9.2-p180 :001 > h = {'aaa' => 1, 'bbb' => 2}
=> {"aaa"=>1, "bbb"=>2}
ruby-1.9.2-p180 :002 > Hash[h.map{|a| [a.first.to_sym, a.last]}]
=> {:aaa=>1, :bbb=>2}
This is not exactly a one-liner, but it turns all string keys into symbols, also the nested ones:
def recursive_symbolize_keys(my_hash)
case my_hash
when Hash
Hash[
my_hash.map do |key, value|
[ key.respond_to?(:to_sym) ? key.to_sym : key, recursive_symbolize_keys(value) ]
end
]
when Enumerable
my_hash.map { |value| recursive_symbolize_keys(value) }
else
my_hash
end
end
I like this one-liner, when I'm not using Rails, because then I don't have to make a second hash and hold two sets of data while I'm processing it:
my_hash = { "a" => 1, "b" => "string", "c" => true }
my_hash.keys.each { |key| my_hash[key.to_sym] = my_hash.delete(key) }
my_hash
=> {:a=>1, :b=>"string", :c=>true}
Hash#delete returns the value of the deleted key
Facets' Hash#deep_rekey is also a good option, especially:
if you find use for other sugar from facets in your project,
if you prefer code readability over cryptical one-liners.
Sample:
require 'facets/hash/deep_rekey'
my_hash = YAML.load_file('yml').deep_rekey
In ruby I find this to be the most simple and easy to understand way to turn string keys in hashes to symbols :
my_hash.keys.each { |key| my_hash[key.to_sym] = my_hash.delete(key)}
For each key in the hash we call delete on it which removes it from the hash (also delete returns the value associated with the key that was deleted) and we immediately set this equal to the symbolized key.
Similar to previous solutions but written a bit differently.
This allows for a hash that is nested and/or has arrays.
Get conversion of keys to a string as a bonus.
Code does not mutate the hash been passed in.
module HashUtils
def symbolize_keys(hash)
transformer_function = ->(key) { key.to_sym }
transform_keys(hash, transformer_function)
end
def stringify_keys(hash)
transformer_function = ->(key) { key.to_s }
transform_keys(hash, transformer_function)
end
def transform_keys(obj, transformer_function)
case obj
when Array
obj.map{|value| transform_keys(value, transformer_function)}
when Hash
obj.each_with_object({}) do |(key, value), hash|
hash[transformer_function.call(key)] = transform_keys(value, transformer_function)
end
else
obj
end
end
end