Access Ruby Hash Using Dotted Path Key String

Question

The Rails I18n library transforms a YAML file into a data structure that is accessible via a dotted path call using the t() function.

t(\'one.two.three.four\         


        

Answer 1

Yeah, I don't think that's built-in, anywhere else. But I use something like this in one of my projects:

class Hash
  def dig(dotted_path)
    parts = dotted_path.split '.', 2
    match = self[parts[0]]
    if !parts[1] or match.nil?
      return match
    else
      return match.dig(parts[1])
    end
  end
end

And then call it like

my_hash = {'a' => {'b' => 'a-b', 'c' => 'a-c', 'd' => {'e' => 'a-d-e'}}, 'f' => 'f'}
my_hash.dig('a.d.e') # outputs 'a-d-e' (by calling my_hash['a']['d']['e'])