From: Harry Kakueki <list.push@...>
Date: 2007-06-16T22:08:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Adding new value (in array) to existing key in a hash

On 6/16/07, Gilbert Lau <gilbertlsk@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Am new to programming am learning to use ruby to code a program. How do
> I add a new value to existing key without overwriting the old value?
> Went to documentation, but didn't find anything that can help me.
> Searched on google as well and in vain.
>
> Say I have a value of coordinate [i,j] and am using a hash table to
> store these coordinates for a specific location. Let's say,
>
> Starbuck => [1,2]
>
> How to I append or add a new coordinate of [1,7] to Starbuck? to become,
>
> Starbuck => [1,2], [1,7]
>
> And able to retrieve each individual coordinates later in array as well.
> The idea behind the code is iterate, if new location for Starbuck is
> found, add the location in i,j format to key "starbuck".
>
> Thanks a lot for your help.
>
> --
> Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>
>

If I understood you correctly,
try something like this.

myhash = {}
myhash["Starbuck"] = []
myhash["Starbuck"] << [1,2]
myhash["Starbuck"] << [1,7]

p myhash
p myhash["Starbuck"][1]
p myhash["Starbuck"][1][1]


Harry

-- 

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