From: Jeremy Bopp <jeremy@...>
Date: 2011-02-03T14:13:11+09:00
Subject: Re: Converting date format (CSV to yaml)

On 02/02/2011 11:02 PM, Kamarulnizam Rahim wrote:
> But when i tried transferring the ydate into my yaml structure, it still 
> print out the quotation marks.
> 
> {"type"=>"TargetComponent",
>                  "title"=>"None",
>                  "args"=>
>                   {:start_date=>'2010-08-10',
>                    :end_date=> (ydate),
>                    :state=>"#{status}"}}]}
> 
> My yaml output:
> 
> - type: TargetComponent
>             title: None
>             args:
>               :start_date: "2010-08-10"
>               :end_date: "2011-01-12"
>               :state: Active

It's because you actually have a String rather than a Date object.  Try
this in irb:

ruby-1.9.2-p136 :001 > require 'yaml'
 => true
ruby-1.9.2-p136 :002 > require 'date'
 => false
ruby-1.9.2-p136 :003 > puts Date.today.to_yaml
--- 2011-02-02
 => nil
ruby-1.9.2-p136 :004 > puts "2011-02-02".to_yaml
--- "2011-02-02"
 => nil

The command at :004 is what you're doing, but you want what the command
at :003 is doing.  Take the advice provided in the post linked below and
use Date objects to process your dates instead of Strings:

http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/1005964#979296

-Jeremy