Hash :: Recursive traversing and stripping the values

ruby-talk
1

Hi,
    I am a Ruby Newbie.

    I wrote a function for stripping all the values(a recursive one if
it is a nested hash) but i almost end up in an
    error suggesting "Error => in `strip_hash_values': stack level too
deep (SystemStackError)".
    Can someone help me with this.

···

-------------------------------------------
    Here's the code:
    -------------------------------------------

    def strip_hash_values(hash)

      hash.each do |k, v|

        if v.class == String
          hash[k] == v.strip!

        elsif v.class == Array
          v.each do |vv|
            vv.strip!
          end

        elsif v.class == Hash
          strip_hash_values(hash)
        end

      end

    end

Thanx,
Vimal Das

2

vimal <cool.vimalsmail@gmail.com> writes:

Hi,
    I am a Ruby Newbie.

    I wrote a function for stripping all the values(a recursive one if
it is a nested hash) but i almost end up in an
    error suggesting "Error => in `strip_hash_values': stack level too
deep (SystemStackError)".
    Can someone help me with this.

Perhaps a circular data structure is the problem:

irb(main):001:0> h = Hash.new
{}
irb(main):002:0> h[:ha]=Hash.new
{}
irb(main):003:0> h[:ha][:ho]=h
{:ha=>{:ho=>{...}}}
irb(main):004:0> h
{:ha=>{:ho=>{...}}}
irb(main):005:0> h[:ha][:ho][:ha]
{:ho=>{:ha=>{...}}}
irb(main):006:0> h[:ha][:ho][:ha][:ho]
{:ha=>{:ho=>{...}}}
irb(main):007:0>

···

--
__Pascal Bourguignon__

3

   error suggesting "Error => in `strip_hash_values': stack level too
deep (SystemStackError)".

Vimal, take a very close look at the recursive call:

...
       elsif v.class == Hash
         strip_hash_values(hash)
       end
...

You have a simple typo/bug there.

When i free up a couple of minutes i'll follow up with some additional
observations.

HTH for now,
lasitha

···

On Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 5:50 PM, vimal <cool.vimalsmail@gmail.com> wrote:

4

So is there any other way to carry out this stripping
functionality thoughout the hash(if nested too)!!!

5

Some further observations:

1. This line uses a comparison operator, not the assignment operator:
    hash[k] == v.strip!

2. We're getting away with the above typo because we're using #strip!
(the version with side-effect). So the string v is being modified in
place and therefore doesn't need to be assigned back to hash[k].
Needless to say this is redundant - we should either use #strip or get
rid of the assignment.

3. A case statement may be a better choice than if/else. I tend to
consider a case statement as soon as i have more than two branches -
it reads slightly cleaner and is easier to add new cases to. See the
example below.

4. I would consider adding a catch-all clause and failing fast with
an exception if the hash contains an unhandled type. Even if you
later choose to silently ignore unhandled types, keeping the else
clause in the code usefully documents your intent. Again, see the
example below.

The code below includes rspec (test) code in case that's of use/inspiration.

Cheers,
lasitha.

The following code can be also be seen at:
http://pastie.org/390656

def strip_hash_values(hash)

  hash.each_value do |v|
    case v
      when String then v.strip!
      when Array then v.each {|i| i.strip! }
      when Hash then strip_hash_values(v)
      else raise ArgumentError, "Unhandled type #{v.class}"
    end
  end

end

describe 'strip_hash_values' do

  it 'should recurse and strip hash values' do
    hash = { c: ' s ', a: [' an ', ' array '], h: { nested: ' hash ' } }
    stripped = { c: 's', a: [ 'an', 'array' ], h: { nested: 'hash' } }
    strip_hash_values(hash).should eql(stripped)
  end

  it 'should raise an exception if the hash contains an unhandled type' do
    lambda { strip_hash_values( { e: 1 } ) }.should raise_error(ArgumentError)
  end

end

···

On Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 6:20 PM, lasitha <lasitha.ranatunga@gmail.com> wrote:

On Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 5:50 PM, vimal <cool.vimalsmail@gmail.com> wrote:

   error suggesting "Error => in `strip_hash_values': stack level too
deep (SystemStackError)".

Vimal, take a very close look at the recursive call:

...
       elsif v.class == Hash
         strip_hash_values(hash)
       end
...

You have a simple typo/bug there.

6

sender: "vimal" date: "Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 09:40:02PM +0900" <<<EOQ

So is there any other way to carry out this stripping
functionality thoughout the hash(if nested too)!!!

EOQ

Of course there is:

        elsif v.class == Hash
          strip_hash_values(hash)
         end

should actually be:

        elsif v.class == Hash
          strip_hash_values(v)
         end

Additionally, you could 'cheat' and use "case" (no more need to check
the type/class manually):

def strip_hash_values(hash)
  hash.each do |k, v|
     case v
    when String
      v.strip!
    when Array
      v.each {|vv| vv.strip!}
    when Hash
      strip_hash_values(v)
     end
  end
end

Cheers,
Alex

7

>>> sender: "vimal" date: "Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 09:40:02PM +0900" <<<EOQ
> So is there any other way to carry out thisstripping
> functionality thoughout thehash(if nested too)!!!
>>>EOQ

Of course there is:

    elsif v\.class ==Hash
      strip\_hash\_values\(hash\)
    end

should actually be:

    elsif v\.class ==Hash
      strip\_hash\_values\(v\)
    end

Additionally, you could 'cheat' and use "case" (no more need to check
the type/class manually):

  This is what an user expects to learn(some additional tips) and
master a scripting lang

def strip_hash_values(hash)
hash.each do |k, v|
case v
when String
v.strip!
when Array
v.each {|vv| vv.strip!}
whenHash
strip_hash_values(v)
end
end
end

Cheers,
Alex

Thanks for all your suggestions
I now figure it how.

···

On Feb 16, 7:03 pm, "Alexandru E. Ungur" <alexan...@globalterrasoft.ro> wrote:

8

Hi Guys,

  I found out another way to do this using a 'lambda' function
  I am just curious to know, how effective is this compared to the
above mentioned suggestions

···

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Code modified from source http://blog.hasmanythrough.com/2008/6/20/recursive-lambda

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  thunk = lambda do |key,value|
    case value
      when String then value.strip!
      when Hash then value.each(&thunk)
      when Array then value.each {|vv| vv.strip!}
    end
  end

  --------------------------------
  Call
  --------------------------------

  <Hash>.each(&thunk)

  Thanks,
  Vimal Das
  Waiting with curiosity :expressionless: