From: don <donsdx@...>
Date: 2006-11-04T14:00:05+09:00
Subject: Re: Accessing a hash -- Beginner


I think I did a poor job of communicating my problem.  I do
not think it is a complicated one, although it might be.  I
know very little about programming.

I have 32 hashes. I would like to key in a hash name and 
extract data from it.  Like this:

  Enter team:  (Enter 'ari', for example)
  team_var = gets.chomp
  puts team_var['coach']

Above does not work.  For one thing, ari is actually $ari.
  team_var = '$' + team_var does not work either.

So simply put, how do you call a hash by name interactively?

Below is an example of what my code would look like:

$ari = {
  'name' => 'Arizona Cardinals',
  'team_notes' => 'skank team',
  'qb' => 'Matt Leinart, Kurt Warner',
  'qb_rank' => '',
  'cbs' => '',
  'espn' => '',
  'players' => 'rb Edgerrin James',
  'coach' => 'Denny Green',
  'weekly_notes' => ' wk01 Fitzgerald 133 yds.'
}

  print 'team: '
  team = gets.chomp
  team = '$' + team
  puts team['coach']

Thanks in advance for your help.


Don