From: Matthias Georgi <matti_g@...>
Date: 2004-05-14T06:50:49+09:00
Subject: [RCR] subclasses of string as hash keys


Current behaviour in Ruby is irritating.

example:

class A < String; end

hash = {}

hash[ A.new('x') ] = nil

p hash.keys.first.class

=> String


Strings get copied, when they get inserted as keys,
this is intended, I think.

But if I choose to insert a subclassed object,
I expect to get the same class back, copied or not.


So I suggest, to change in rb_hash_aset:

-  if (TYPE(key) != T_STRING || st_lookup(RHASH(hash)->tbl, key, 0)) {
-	st_insert(RHASH(hash)->tbl, key, val);
-  }

+  if ( RBASIC(key)->klass != rb_cString || st_lookup(RHASH(hash)->tbl, 
key, 0)) {
+	st_insert(RHASH(hash)->tbl, key, val);
+  }


This was discussed long time ago in [ruby-talk:8050].

-- 
Matthias Georgi
matti_g@gmx.de