From: Rob Pitt <rob@...>
Date: 2006-03-09T21:01:32+09:00
Subject: Re: Convert String to Hash

*throws banana ad Bernhard*

no no no don't eval user supplied strings you are asking to be hacked :)

On 9 Mar 2006, at 11:58, Bernhard 'elven' Stoeckner wrote:

> Nick Snels scribbled on Thursday 09 Mar 2006 12:52:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I get a string inputted in my program, which I convert to a hash-like
>> string, like:
>>
>> sql = '"table_alias" => [],"original_string" => "select * from  
>> table"'
>>
>> The string has the form of a hash, now I would like to convert this
>> string to an actual hash. I tried it like:
>>
>> test = Hash[sql]
>> or
>> test = Hash.[](sql)
>>
>> but I get the following error:
>> test2.rb:2:in `[]': odd number of arguments for Hash (ArgumentError)
>> from test2.rb:2
>>
>> When I do it like,
>>
>> test = Hash.new
>> test = sql
>>
>> test becomes a String and is no longer a Hash.
>>
>> Is there an easy way to convert my hash-like string to an actual  
>> hash?
>> Thanks for any help.
>>
>> Kind regards,
>>
>> Nick
>
> Hi Nick,
>
> no, you can't pass it to Hash.new directly, you'd have to write a  
> parser for
> it yourself. If you're feeling lucky, you can use eval() to do that.
>
> *takes cover from flying bananas and such*
>
> Bernhard
>