From: Daniel Kempkens <Daniel.Kempkens@...>
Date: 2007-06-14T03:45:09+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby Hash Querying

kwest schrieb:
> Hello,
> I am new to Ruby and have run into a small snag. I have a hash like
> so:
> 
> @documentnames = {
>   :finance_whitepaper => 'whitepaper one',
>   :ecommerce_whitepaper => 'whitepaper two',
>   :integratedsvs_datasheet => 'whitepaper three'
>   }
> 
> 
> 
> So I am trying to then go like so:
> 
> @documentnames[k]
> 
> where k is a variable in a loop with the key from the has minus the
> ":" in front
> 
> But if I try to add the ":" in front
> 
> <%key = ':' + k%>
> 
> And then try to reference the element
> 
> <%= @documentnames[key] %>
> 
> I get a null value....
> 

The ":whatever" is a Ruby-Symbol, and you're trying to kinda "fake" it 
with a String. However, the answer is really easy, just use:
@documentnames[k.to_sym]