convert ruby hash to URL query string … without those square brackets

Question

In Python, I can do this:

>>> import urlparse, urllib
>>> q = urlparse.parse_qsl(\"a=b&a=c&d=e\")
>>> urllib.urlencode(q)
\'a=         


        

Answer 1

Quick Hash to a URL Query Trick :

"http://www.example.com?" + { language: "ruby", status: "awesome" }.to_query

# => "http://www.example.com?language=ruby&status=awesome"

Want to do it in reverse? Use CGI.parse:

require 'cgi' 
# Only needed for IRB, Rails already has this loaded

CGI::parse "language=ruby&status=awesome"

# => {"language"=>["ruby"], "status"=>["awesome"]} 

Answer 2

Here's a quick function to turn your hash into query parameters:

require 'uri'
def hash_to_query(hash)
  return URI.encode(hash.map{|k,v| "#{k}=#{v}"}.join("&"))
end

Answer 3

As a simple plain Ruby solution (or RubyMotion, in my case), just use this:

class Hash
  def to_param
    self.to_a.map { |x| "#{x[0]}=#{x[1]}" }.join("&")
  end
end

{ fruit: "Apple", vegetable: "Carrot" }.to_param # => "fruit=Apple&vegetable=Carrot"

It only handles simple hashes, though.

Answer 4

In modern ruby this is simply:

require 'uri'
URI.encode_www_form(hash)

Answer 5

The way rails handles query strings of that type means you have to roll your own solution, as you have. It is somewhat unfortunate if you're dealing with non-rails apps, but makes sense if you're passing information to and from rails apps.