From: Daniel Schierbeck <daniel.schierbeck@...>
Date: 2006-08-15T02:05:07+09:00
Subject: Re: Multiple assignment in a hash

Kevin Olbrich wrote:
> Anyone know of any ruby shortcuts for multiply assigning elements in a hash?
> 
> What I need to do is set up a hash like this...
> 
> { "one" => "A", "two"=>"A", "three" => "A" }
> 
> What I would like to do is something like this....
> 
> { "one","two","three" => "A" } (this doesn't work)

Perhaps this?

   class Hash
     def []= (*keys)
       value = keys.pop
       keys.each{|key| store(key, value) }
     end
   end

   hsh = {}
   hsh[:a, :b, :c] = 42
   hsh  #=> {:a => 42, :b => 42, :c => 42}

Do remember that all keys will have the *same* value, so:

   hsh[:a, :b] = "foo"
   hsh[:a].upcase!
   hsh[:b]  #=> "FOO"


Cheers,
Daniel