Convert keys and values of a hash to string - ruby

I need to convert values and keys of a hash to string, in order to correctly prepare it as params for a Net::HTTP.post_form. For instance:
I need to convert
{:x => [1,2,3,4]}
to
{"x"=>"[1, 2, 3, 4]"}
It's important to convert symbols to string and that arrays are surrounded by quotes.
to_json returns a string and doesn't solve my problem; I need a hash as return.
the hash may have more keys and values, so I can't hard code to_s to each key or value.
How can I perform it?

What about this
Hash[ { :x => [1,2,3,4] }.map { |k, v| [k.to_s, v.to_s] } ]
#=> {"x"=>"[1, 2, 3, 4]"}
Or on Ruby >= 2.1
{ :x => [1,2,3,4] }.map { |k, v| [k.to_s, v.to_s] }.to_h
#=> {"x"=>"[1, 2, 3, 4]"}
Or on Ruby >= 2.6
{ :x => [1,2,3,4] }.to_h { |k, v| [k.to_s, v.to_s] }
#=> {"x"=>"[1, 2, 3, 4]"}

Don't reinvent a well established wheel. Instead Ruby's URI is a good tool to use:
require 'uri'
uri = URI.parse('http://www.example.com')
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form( {:x => [1,2,3,4]} )
uri.to_s # => "http://www.example.com?x=1&x=2&x=3&x=4"
If you want just the query values:
query = URI.encode_www_form( {:x => [1,2,3,4]} ) # => "x=1&x=2&x=3&x=4"
It really sounds like you are reinventing wheels if you are going to send that through Net::HTTP. Serializing a hash to {"x"=>"[1, 2, 3, 4]"} will limit your code to working with only your code. Using JSON, YAML or XML would make your life easier and your code more portable.
JSON makes it easy to move a hash from machine to machine, between languages like Ruby/Python/Java/Perl, whether it is a browser to a server, or client to server:
require 'json'
hash = {:x => [1,2,3,4]}
hash.to_json
=> "{\"x\":[1,2,3,4]}"
JSON[hash.to_json]
=> {
"x" => [
[0] 1,
[1] 2,
[2] 3,
[3] 4
]
}
That's a round-trip of the hash, to JSON's representation, back to the hash. The intermediate string "{\"x\":[1,2,3,4]}" is easily sent via Net::HTTP.

Related

JSON with symbols and strings not readable

I have the following JSON:
{ :a => 1, "b" => "test" }
jsonObject[:b] does not give me any data, whereas for a JSON with all keys as strings,
{ "a" => 1, "b" => "test" }
it works fine:
jsonObject[:b] # => "test"
Is there a constraint against using a symbol and key in the same JSON object?
I suggest to parse a JSON to a Hash before using, like
require 'json'
JSON.parse("{...}")
and convert a hash to a JSON string by
hash.to_json
all keys of symbols and strings are converted into strings.
require 'json'
a = {:a => '12', 'b' => '23'}
p aa = a.to_json #=> "{\"a\":\"12\",\"b\":\"23\"}"
p JSON.parse(aa) #=> {"a"=>"12", "b"=>"23"}
It might be possible that you are sometimes dealing with a simple Hash and sometimes with a HashWithIndifferentAccess. The Rails' params for example allow indifferent access by default. This might explain your confusion:
hash = { :a => 1, 'b' => 2 }
hash[:a]
#=> 1
hash['b']
#=> 2
hash[:b]
#=> nil
But with a HashWithIndifferentAccess:
hash = hash.with_indifferent_access
hash[:a]
#=> 1
hash['b']
#=> 2
hash[:b]
#=> 2

how can I programmatically identify which keys have sub key-value-pairs in a JSON doc? [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Flattening nested hash to a single hash with Ruby/Rails
(6 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
I fetch a JSON document and need to programmatically "flatten" the keys for another third-party service.
What this means is, if my JSON doc comes back with the following:
{'first_name' => "Joe", 'hoffman' => {'patterns' => ['negativity', 'self-sabotage'], 'right_road' => 'happy family'}, 'mbti' => 'INTJ'}
I need to be able to know to create a "flat" key-value pair for a third-party service like this:
first_name = "Joe"
hoffman.patterns = "negativity, self-sabotage"
hoffman.right_road = "happy family"
mbti = "INTJ"
Once I know there's a sub-document, the parsing I think I have figured out just appending the sub-keys with key + '.' + "{subkey}" but right now, don't know which ones are straight key-value and which one's have sub-documents.
Question:
a) How can I parse the JSON to know which keys have sub-documents (additional key-values)?
b) Suggestions on ways to create a string from an array
You could also monkey patch Hash to do this on it's own like so:
class Hash
def flatten_keys(prefix=nil)
each_pair.map do |k,v|
key = [prefix,k].compact.join(".")
v.is_a?(Hash) ? v.flatten_keys(key) : [key,v.is_a?(Array) ? v.join(", ") : v]
end.flatten.each_slice(2).to_a
end
def to_flat_hash
Hash[flatten_keys]
end
end
Then it would be
require 'json'
h = JSON.parse(YOUR_JSON_RESPONSE)
#=> {'first_name' => "Joe", 'hoffman' => {'patterns' => ['negativity', 'self-sabotage'], 'right_road' => 'happy family'}, 'mbti' => 'INTJ'}
h.to_flat_hash
#=> {"first_name"=>"Joe", "hoffman.patterns"=>"negativity, self-sabotage", "hoffman.right_road"=>"happy family", "mbti"=>"INTJ"}
Will work with additional nesting too
h = {"first_name"=>"Joe", "hoffman"=>{"patterns"=>["negativity", "self-sabotage"], "right_road"=>"happy family", "wrong_road"=>{"bad_choices"=>["alcohol", "heroin"]}}, "mbti"=>"INTJ"}
h.to_flat_hash
#=> {"first_name"=>"Joe", "hoffman.patterns"=>"negativity, self-sabotage", "hoffman.right_road"=>"happy family", "hoffman.wrong_road.bad_choices"=>"alcohol, heroin", "mbti"=>"INTJ"}
Quick and dirty recursive proc:
# assuming you've already `JSON.parse` the incoming json into this hash:
a = {'first_name' => "Joe", 'hoffman' => {'patterns' => ['negativity', 'self-sabotage'], 'right_road' => 'happy family'}, 'mbti' => 'INTJ'}
# define a recursive proc:
flatten_keys = -> (h, prefix = "") do
#flattened_keys ||= {}
h.each do |key, value|
# Here we check if there's "sub documents" by asking if the value is a Hash
# we also pass in the name of the current prefix and key and append a . to it
if value.is_a? Hash
flatten_keys.call value, "#{prefix}#{key}."
else
# if not we concatenate the key and the prefix and add it to the #flattened_keys hash
#flattened_keys["#{prefix}#{key}"] = value
end
end
#flattened_keys
end
flattened = flatten_keys.call a
# => "first_name"=>"Joe", "hoffman.patterns"=>["negativity", "self-sabotage"], "hoffman.right_road"=>"happy family", "mbti"=>"INTJ"}
And then, to turn the arrays into strings just join them:
flattened.inject({}) do |hash, (key, value)|
value = value.join(', ') if value.is_a? Array
hash.merge! key => value
end
# => {"first_name"=>"Joe", "hoffman.patterns"=>"negativity, self-sabotage", "hoffman.right_road"=>"happy family", "mbti"=>"INTJ"}
Another way, inspired by this post:
def flat_hash(h,f=[],g={})
return g.update({ f=>h }) unless h.is_a? Hash
h.each { |k,r| flat_hash(r,f+[k],g) }
g
end
h = { :a => { :b => { :c => 1,
:d => 2 },
:e => 3 },
:f => 4 }
result = {}
flat_hash(h) #=> {[:a, :b, :c]=>1, [:a, :b, :d]=>2, [:a, :e]=>3, [:f]=>4}
.each{ |k, v| result[k.join('.')] = v } #=> {"a.b.c"=>1, "a.b.d"=>2, "a.e"=>3, "f"=>4}

Subtract two hashes in Ruby

Can the hash class be modified so that given two hashes, a new hash containing only keys that are present in one hash but not the other can be created?
E.g.:
h1 = {"Cat" => 100, "Dog" => 5, "Bird" => 2, "Snake" => 10}
h2 = {"Cat" => 100, "Dog" => 5, "Bison" => 30}
h1.difference(h2) = {"Bird" => 2, "Snake" => 10}
Optionally, the difference method could include any key/value pairs such that the key is present in both hashes but the value differs between them.
h1 = {"Cat" => 100, "Dog" => 5, "Bird" => 2, "Snake" => 10}
h2 = {"Cat" => 999, "Dog" => 5, "Bison" => 30}
Case 1: keep all key/value pairs k=>v in h1 for which there is no key k in h2
This is one way:
h1.dup.delete_if { |k,_| h2.key?(k) }
#=> {"Bird"=>2, "Snake"=>10}
This is another:
class Array
alias :spaceship :<=>
def <=>(o)
first <=> o.first
end
end
(h1.to_a - h2.to_a).to_h
#=> {"Bird"=>2, "Snake"=>10}
class Array
alias :<=> :spaceship
remove_method(:spaceship)
end
Case 2: keep all key/value pairs in h1 that are not in h2
All you need for this is:
(h1.to_a - h2.to_a).to_h
#=> {"Cat"=>100, "Bird"=>2, "Snake"=>10}
Array#to_h was introduced in Ruby 2.0. For earlier versions, use Hash[].
Use the reject method:
class Hash
def difference(other)
reject do |k,v|
other.has_key? k
end
end
end
To only reject key/value pairs if the values are identical (as per mallanaga's suggestion via a comment on my original answer, which I have deleted):
class Hash
def difference(other)
reject do |k,v|
other.has_key?(k) && other[k] == v
end
end
end
You can do this:
h2.each_with_object(h1.dup){|(k, v), h| h.delete(k)}
try using hashdiff gem.
diff=HashDiff.diff(h1,h2)
For deep nesting you can add a bit of recursion, something like (untested)
class Hash
def -(h2)
raise ArgumentError unless h2.is_a?(Hash)
h1 = dup
h1.delete_if do |k, v|
if v.is_a?(Hash) && h2[k].is_a?(Hash)
h1[k] = v - h2[k]
h1[k].blank?
else
h2[k] == v
end
end
end
end
end

hash assignment when (key => value) are stored in an array? (ruby)

I have hash (#post) of hashes where I want to keep the order of the hash's keys in the array (#post_csv_order) and also want to keep the relationship key => value in the array.
I don't know the final number of both #post hashes and key => value elements in the array.
I don't know how to assign the hash in a loop for all elements in the array. One by one #post_csv_order[0][0] => #post_csv_order[0][1] works nicely.
# require 'rubygems'
require 'pp'
#post = {}
forum_id = 123 #only sample values.... to make this sample script work
post_title = "Test post"
#post_csv_order = [
["ForumID" , forum_id],
["Post title", post_title]
]
if #post[forum_id] == nil
#post[forum_id] = {
#post_csv_order[0][0] => #post_csv_order[0][1],
#post_csv_order[1][0] => #post_csv_order[1][1]
##post_csv_order.map {|element| element[0] => element[1]}
##post_csv_order.each_index {|index| #post_csv_order[index][0] => #post_csv_order[index][1] }
}
end
pp #post
desired hash assignment should be like that
{123=>{"Post title"=>"Test post", "ForumID"=>123}}
The best way is to use to_h:
[ [:foo,1],[:bar,2],[:baz,3] ].to_h #=> {:foo => 1, :bar => 2, :baz => 3}
Note: This was introduced in Ruby 2.1.0. For older Ruby, you can use my backports gem and require 'backports/2.1.0/array/to_h', or else use Hash[]:
array = [[:foo,1],[:bar,2],[:baz,3]]
# then
Hash[ array ] #= > {:foo => 1, :bar => 2, :baz => 3}
This is available in Ruby 1.8.7 and later. If you are still using Ruby 1.8.6 you could require "backports/1.8.7/hash/constructor", but you might as well use the to_h backport.
I am not sure I fully understand your question but I guess you want to convert a 2d array in a hash.
So suppose you have an array such as:
array = [[:foo,1],[:bar,2],[:baz,3]]
You can build an hash with:
hash = array.inject({}) {|h,e| h[e[0]] = e[1]; h}
# => {:foo=>1, :bar=>2, :baz=>3}
And you can retrieve the keys in correct order with:
keys = array.inject([]) {|a,e| a << e[0] }
=> [:foo, :bar, :baz]
Is it what you were looking for ?
Answers summary
working code #1
#post[forum_id] = #post_csv_order.inject({}) {|h,e| h[e[0]] = e[1]; h}
working code #2
#post[forum_id] = Hash[*#post_csv_order.flatten]
working code #3
#post[forum_id] ||= Hash[ #post_csv_order ] #requires 'require "backports"'

How to change Hash values?

I'd like to replace each value in a hash with value.some_method.
For example, for given a simple hash:
{"a" => "b", "c" => "d"}`
every value should be .upcased, so it looks like:
{"a" => "B", "c" => "D"}
I tried #collect and #map but always just get arrays back. Is there an elegant way to do this?
UPDATE
Damn, I forgot: The hash is in an instance variable which should not be changed. I need a new hash with the changed values, but would prefer not to define that variable explicitly and then loop over the hash filling it. Something like:
new_hash = hash.magic{ ... }
my_hash.each { |k, v| my_hash[k] = v.upcase }
or, if you'd prefer to do it non-destructively, and return a new hash instead of modifying my_hash:
a_new_hash = my_hash.inject({}) { |h, (k, v)| h[k] = v.upcase; h }
This last version has the added benefit that you could transform the keys too.
Since ruby 2.4.0 you can use native Hash#transform_values method:
hash = {"a" => "b", "c" => "d"}
new_hash = hash.transform_values(&:upcase)
# => {"a" => "B", "c" => "D"}
There is also destructive Hash#transform_values! version.
You can collect the values, and convert it from Array to Hash again.
Like this:
config = Hash[ config.collect {|k,v| [k, v.upcase] } ]
This will do it:
my_hash.each_with_object({}) { |(key, value), hash| hash[key] = value.upcase }
As opposed to inject the advantage is that you are in no need to return the hash again inside the block.
There's a method for that in ActiveSupport v4.2.0. It's called transform_values and basically just executes a block for each key-value-pair.
Since they're doing it with a each I think there's no better way than to loop through.
hash = {sample: 'gach'}
result = {}
hash.each do |key, value|
result[key] = do_stuff(value)
end
Update:
Since Ruby 2.4.0 you can natively use #transform_values and #transform_values!.
Try this function:
h = {"a" => "b", "c" => "d"}
h.each{|i,j| j.upcase!} # now contains {"a" => "B", "c" => "D"}.
You may want to go a step further and do this on a nested hash. Certainly this happens a fair amount with Rails projects.
Here's some code to ensure a params hash is in UTF-8:
def convert_hash hash
hash.inject({}) do |h,(k,v)|
if v.kind_of? String
h[k] = to_utf8(v)
else
h[k] = convert_hash(v)
end
h
end
end
# Iconv UTF-8 helper
# Converts strings into valid UTF-8
#
# #param [String] untrusted_string the string to convert to UTF-8
# #return [String] your string in UTF-8
def to_utf8 untrusted_string=""
ic = Iconv.new('UTF-8//IGNORE', 'UTF-8')
ic.iconv(untrusted_string + ' ')[0..-2]
end
I do something like this:
new_hash = Hash[*original_hash.collect{|key,value| [key,value + 1]}.flatten]
This provides you with the facilities to transform the key or value via any expression also (and it's non-destructive, of course).
Ruby has the tap method (1.8.7, 1.9.3 and 2.1.0) that's very useful for stuff like this.
original_hash = { :a => 'a', :b => 'b' }
original_hash.clone.tap{ |h| h.each{ |k,v| h[k] = v.upcase } }
# => {:a=>"A", :b=>"B"}
original_hash # => {:a=>"a", :b=>"b"}
Rails-specific
In case someone only needs to call to_s method to each of the values and is not using Rails 4.2 ( which includes transform_values method link), you can do the following:
original_hash = { :a => 'a', :b => BigDecimal('23.4') }
#=> {:a=>"a", :b=>#<BigDecimal:5c03a00,'0.234E2',18(18)>}
JSON(original_hash.to_json)
#=> {"a"=>"a", "b"=>"23.4"}
Note: The use of 'json' library is required.
Note 2: This will turn keys into strings as well
If you know that the values are strings, you can call the replace method on them while in the cycle: this way you will change the value.
Altohugh this is limited to the case in which the values are strings and hence doesn't answer the question fully, I thought it can be useful to someone.
new_hash = old_hash.merge(old_hash) do |_key, value, _value|
value.upcase
end
# old_hash = {"a" => "b", "c" => "d"}
# new_hash = {"a" => "B", "c" => "D"}

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