Dynamically check if a field in JSON is nil without using eval - ruby

Here's an extract of the code that I am using:
def retrieve(user_token, quote_id, check="quotes")
end_time = Time.now + 15
match = false
until Time.now > end_time || match
#response = http_request.get(quote_get_url(quote_id, user_token))
eval("match = !JSON.parse(#response.body)#{field(check)}.nil?")
end
match.eql?(false) ? nil : #response
end
private
def field (check)
hash = {"quotes" => '["quotes"][0]',
"transaction-items" => '["quotes"][0]["links"]["transactionItems"]'
}
hash[check]
end
I was informed that using eval in this manner is not good practice. Could anyone suggest a better way of dynamically checking the existence of a JSON node (field?). I want this to do:
psudo: match = !JSON.parse(#response.body) + dynamic-path + .nil?

Store paths as arrays of path elements (['quotes', 0]). With a little helper function you'll be able to avoid eval. It is, indeed, completely inappropriate here.
Something along these lines:
class Hash
def deep_get(path)
path.reduce(self) do |memo, path_element|
return unless memo
memo[path_element]
end
end
end
path = ['quotes', 0]
hash = JSON.parse(response.body)
match = !hash.deep_get(path).nil?

Related

How to pass method arguments use as Hash path?

E.G.
def do_the_thing(file_to_load, hash_path)
file = File.read(file)
data = JSON.parse(file, { symbolize_names: true })
data[sections.to_sym]
end
do_the_thing(file_I_want, '[:foo][:bar][0]')
Tried a few methods but failed so far.
Thanks for any help in advance :)
Assuming you missed the parameters names...
Lets assume our file is:
// test.json
{
"foo": {
"bar": ["foobar"]
}
}
Recomended solution
Does your param really need to be a string??
If your code can be more flexible, and pass arguments as they are on ruby, you can use the Hash dig method:
require 'json'
def do_the_thing(file, *hash_path)
file = File.read(file)
data = JSON.parse(file, symbolize_names: true)
data.dig(*hash_path)
end
do_the_thing('test.json', :foo, :bar, 0)
You should get
"foobar"
It should work fine !!
Read the rest of the answer if that doesn't satisfy your question
Alternative solution (using the same argument)
If you REALLY need to use that argument as string, you can;
Treat your params to adapt to the first solution, it won't be a small or fancy code, but it will work:
require 'json'
BRACKET_REGEX = /(\[[^\[]*\])/.freeze
# Treats the literal string to it's correspondent value
def treat_type(param)
# Remove the remaining brackets from the string
# You could do this step directly on the regex if you want to
param = param[1..-2]
case param[0]
# Checks if it is a string
when '\''
param[1..-2]
# Checks if it is a symbol
when ':'
param[1..-1].to_sym
else
begin
Integer(param)
rescue ArgumentError
param
end
end
end
# Converts your param to the accepted pattern of 'dig' method
def string_to_args(param)
# Scan method will break the match results of the regex into an array
param.scan(BRACKET_REGEX).flatten.map { |match| treat_type(match) }
end
def do_the_thing(file, hash_path)
hash_path = string_to_args(hash_path)
file = File.read(file)
data = JSON.parse(file, symbolize_names: true)
data.dig(*hash_path)
end
so:
do_the_thing('test.json', '[:foo][:bar][0]')
returns
"foobar"
This solution though is open to bugs when the "hash_path" is not on an acceptable pattern, and treating it's bugs might make the code even longer
Shortest solution (Not safe)
You can use Kernel eval method which I EXTREMELY discourage to use for security reasons, read the documentation and understand its danger before using it
require 'json'
def do_the_thing(file, hash_path)
file = File.read(file)
data = JSON.parse(file, symbolize_names: true)
eval("data#{hash_path}")
end
do_the_thing('test.json', '[:foo][:bar][0]')
If the procedure you were trying to work with was just extracting the JSON data to an object, you might find yourself using either of the following scenarios:
def do_the_thing(file_to_load)
file = File.read(file)
data = JSON.parse(file, { symbolize_names: true })
data[sections.to_sym]
end
do_the_thing(file_I_want)[:foo][:bar][0]
or use the dig function of Hash :
def do_the_thing(file_to_load, sections)
file = File.read(file)
data = JSON.parse(file, { symbolize_names: true })
data.dig(*sections)
end
do_the_thing(file_I_want, [:foo, :bar, 0])

Parse JSON like syntax to ruby object

Simple parser which turned out to be much harder than i thought. I need a string parser to convert nested fields to ruby object. In my case api response will only return desired fields.
Given
Parser.parse "album{name, photo{name, picture, tags}}, post{id}"
Desired output or similar
{album: [:name, photo: [:name, :picture, :tags]], post: [:id]}
Any thoughts?
Wrote my own solution
module Parser
extend self
def parse str
parse_list(str).map do |i|
extract_item_fields i
end
end
def extract_item_fields item
field_name, fields_str = item.scan(/(.+?){(.+)}/).flatten
if field_name.nil?
item
else
fields = parse_list fields_str
result = fields.map { |field| extract_item_fields(field) }
{ field_name => result }
end
end
def parse_list list
return list if list.nil?
list.concat(',').scan(/([^,{}]+({.+?})?),/).map(&:first).map(&:strip)
end
end
str = 'album{name, photo{name, picture, tags}}, post{id}'
puts Parser.parse(str).inspect
# => [{"album"=>["name", {"photo"=>["name", "picture", "tags"]}]}, {"post"=>["id"]}]

Can mechanize for Ruby filter the contents of a <select> by class?

Sorry, but I didn't find the documentation enlightening at all. Basically, I am trying to iterate through a where some options are not valid. The ones I want have 'class="active"'. Can I do that with mechanize? Here's what I have so far:
class Scraper
def init
mech = Mechanize.new
page = mech.get('url')
#Now go through the <select> to get product numbers for the different flavors
form = page.form_with(:id => 'twister')
select = form.field_with(:name => 'dropdown_selected_flavor_name')
select.options.each do |o|
if (o.text != "")
value = o
end
productNumber = trim_pn(value.to_s[2..12])
puts productNumber
end
end
#Checks validity of product number and removes excess characters if necessary
def trim_pn(pn)
if (pn[0] == ",")
pn = pn[1..-1]
end
return pn
end
end
p = Scraper.new
p.init
All that does is grabs the product number and removes some extra info that I don't want. I thought replacing the .each do with this:
select.options_with(:class => 'active').each do |o|
if (o.text != "")
value = o
end
end
But that throws "undefined method 'dom_class' for Mechanize:Form:Option blah blah." Is there are different way I should be approaching this?

Calling multiple methods on a CSV object

I have constructed an Event Manager class that performs parsing actions on a CSV file, and produces html letters using erb. It is part of a jumpstart labs tutorial
The program works fine, but I am unable to call multiple methods on an object without the earlier methods interfering with the later methods. As a result, I have opted to create multiple objects to call instance methods on, which seems like a clunky inelegant solution. Is there a better way to do this, where I can create a single new object and call methods on it?
Like so:
eventmg = EventManager.new("event_attendees.csv")
eventmg.print_valid_phone_numbers
eventmg_2 = EventManager.new("event_attendees.csv")
eventmg_2.print_zipcodes
eventmg_3 = EventManager.new("event_attendees.csv")
eventmg_3.time_targeter
eventmg_4 = EventManager.new("event_attendees.csv")
eventmg_4.day_of_week
eventmg_5 = EventManager.new("event_attendees.csv")
eventmg_5.create_thank_you_letters
The complete code is as follows
require 'csv'
require 'sunlight/congress'
require 'erb'
class EventManager
INVALID_PHONE_NUMBER = "0000000000"
Sunlight::Congress.api_key = "e179a6973728c4dd3fb1204283aaccb5"
def initialize(file_name, list_selections = [])
puts "EventManager Initialized."
#file = CSV.open(file_name, {:headers => true,
:header_converters => :symbol} )
#list_selections = list_selections
end
def clean_zipcode(zipcode)
zipcode.to_s.rjust(5,"0")[0..4]
end
def print_zipcodes
puts "Valid Participant Zipcodes"
#file.each do |line|
zipcode = clean_zipcode(line[:zipcode])
puts zipcode
end
end
def clean_phone(phone_number)
converted = phone_number.scan(/\d/).join('').split('')
if converted.count == 10
phone_number
elsif phone_number.to_s.length < 10
INVALID_PHONE_NUMBER
elsif phone_number.to_s.length == 11 && converted[0] == 1
phone_number.shift
phone_number.join('')
elsif phone_number.to_s.length == 11 && converted[0] != 1
INVALID_PHONE_NUMBER
else
phone_number.to_s.length > 11
INVALID_PHONE_NUMBER
end
end
def print_valid_phone_numbers
puts "Valid Participant Phone Numbers"
#file.each do |line|
clean_number = clean_phone(line[:homephone])
puts clean_number
end
end
def time_targeter
busy_times = Array.new(24) {0}
#file.each do |line|
registration = line[:regdate]
prepped_time = DateTime.strptime(registration, "%m/%d/%Y %H:%M")
prepped_time = prepped_time.hour.to_i
# inserts filtered hour into the array 'list_selections'
#list_selections << prepped_time
end
# tallies number of registrations for each hour
i = 0
while i < #list_selections.count
busy_times[#list_selections[i]] += 1
i+=1
end
# delivers a result showing the hour and the number of registrations
puts "Number of Registered Participants by Hour:"
busy_times.each_with_index {|counter, hours| puts "#{hours}\t#{counter}"}
end
def day_of_week
busy_day = Array.new(7) {0}
d_of_w = ["Monday:", "Tuesday:", "Wednesday:", "Thursday:", "Friday:", "Saturday:", "Sunday:"]
#file.each do |line|
registration = line[:regdate]
# you have to reformat date because of parser format
prepped_date = Date.strptime(registration, "%m/%d/%y")
prepped_date = prepped_date.wday
# adds filtered day of week into array 'list selections'
#list_selections << prepped_date
end
i = 0
while i < #list_selections.count
# i is minus one since days of week begin at '1' and arrays begin at '0'
busy_day[#list_selections[i-1]] += 1
i+=1
end
#busy_day.each_with_index {|counter, day| puts "#{day}\t#{counter}"}
prepared = d_of_w.zip(busy_day)
puts "Number of Registered Participants by Day of Week"
prepared.each{|date| puts date.join(" ")}
end
def legislators_by_zipcode(zipcode)
Sunlight::Congress::Legislator.by_zipcode(zipcode)
end
def save_thank_you_letters(id,form_letter)
Dir.mkdir("output") unless Dir.exists?("output")
filename = "output/thanks_#{id}.html"
File.open(filename,'w') do |file|
file.puts form_letter
end
end
def create_thank_you_letters
puts "Thank You Letters Available in Output Folder"
template_letter = File.read "form_letter.erb"
erb_template = ERB.new template_letter
#file.each do |line|
id = line[0]
name = line[:first_name]
zipcode = clean_zipcode(line[:zipcode])
legislators = legislators_by_zipcode(zipcode)
form_letter = erb_template.result(binding)
save_thank_you_letters(id,form_letter)
end
end
end
The reason you're experiencing this problem is because when you apply each to the result of CSV.open you're moving the file pointer each time. When you get to the end of the file with one of your methods, there is nothing for anyone else to read.
An alternative is to read the contents of the file into an instance variable at initialization with readlines. You'll get an array of arrays which you can operate on with each just as easily.
"Is there a better way to do this, where I can create a single new object and call methods on it?"
Probably. If your methods are interfering with one another, it means you're changing state within the manager, instead of working on local variables.
Sometimes, it's the right thing to do (e.g. Array#<<); sometimes not (e.g. Fixnum#+)... Seeing your method names, it probably isn't.
Nail the offenders down and adjust the code accordingly. (I only scanned your code, but those Array#<< calls on an instance variable, in particular, look fishy.)

How to return a particular value from a method?

I have this code that tries to return a value from a method:
temp = "123"
return temp
and I have this line that calls the method and assigns the return value:
person_connections = #client.get_person_connections(:id => current_user_id )
but when I try to inspect person_connections, it shows some different object string. Any idea how to return the actual value of the temp variable?
def get_person_connections(options = {})
person_id = options[:id]
path = "/people/id=" + person_id + ":(num-connections)"
query_connections(path, options)
self
end
and
private
def query_connections(path, options={})
fields = options.delete(:fields) || LinkedIn.default_profile_fields
if options.delete(:public)
path +=":public"
elsif fields
path +=":(#{fields.map{ |f| f.to_s.gsub("_","-") }.join(',')})"
end
headers = options.delete(:headers) || {}
params = options.map { |k,v| v.is_a?(Array) ? v.map{|i| "#{k}=#{i}"}.join("&") : "#{k}=#{v}" }.join("&")
path += "?#{params}" if not params.empty?
temp_var = get(path, headers)
hash = JSON.parse(temp_var)
conn = hash["numConnections"]
end
As Samy said in a comment:
In Ruby, the last statement will be returned.
So if we take a look at get_person_connections, we see that the last line is self. What it means is that it returns the instance on which the method was called, #client in this case.
Additional notes: the solution would be to remove self, although if the method is used elsewhere be careful as returning self is often used to allow chaining of methods (though it hardly makes sense to do that on a get method).

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