From: Trans <transfire@...>
Date: 2007-02-04T02:12:35+09:00
Subject: Hash#rekey

There are a few facets (ie. extensions) I find myself using often. One
of these is Hash#rekey. I used to use other methods like those found
in the Gavin's Extensions project and DHH's ActiveSupport, eg.
#convert_keys, #symbolize_keys, #stringify_keys, and so on. But ever
since I came up with #rekey, it's been clear that it's more
advantageous and replaces all of these other methods and then some.

I think it would be a good candidate for Ruby proper -- even 1.8
series. Though it will undoubtedly be less useful in Ruby 2.0 when
string and symbol hash keys key for the same entry, it is still useful
in other ways. Here it is my implementation... note that
Symbol#to_proc is used.

  require 'facets/core/symbol/to_proc'

  class Hash

    # Converts all keys in the Hash accroding to the given block.
    # If the block return +nil+ for given key, then that key will be
    # left intact.
    #
    #   foo = { :name=>'Tom', :friend=>:Gavin }
    #   foo.rekey{ |k| k.to_s }  #=>  { "name"=>"Tom",
"friend"=>:Gavin }
    #   foo.inspect              #=>  { :name
=>"Tom", :friend=>:Gavin }

    def rekey( meth=nil, &block )
      raise ArgumentError, "2 for 1" if meth and block
      dup.send(:rekey!, meth, &block)
    end

    # Synonym for Hash#rekey, but modifies the receiver in place (and
returns it).
    #
    #   foo = { :name=>'Tom', :friend=>:Gavin }
    #   foo.rekey!{ |k| k.to_s }  #=>  { "name"=>"Tom",
"friend"=>:Gavin }
    #   foo.inspect               #=>  { "name"=>"Tom",
"friend"=>:Gavin }

    def rekey!( meth=nil, &block )
      meth = :to_sym unless meth or block
      raise ArgumentError, "2 for 1" if meth and block
      block = meth.to_sym.to_proc if meth
      keys.each do |k|
        nk = block[k]
        self[nk]=delete(k) if nk
      end
      self
    end

  end

Improvements to implementation welcome.. no.. encouraged, of course.

T.