# Splitting string to hash **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [31 August 2006 14:38 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/splitting-string-to-hash/30518 "2006-08-31T14:38:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brian\_Nice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Brian\_Nice](https://rubytalk.org/u/Brian_Nice)\ **Post date:** [31 August 2006 14:38 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/splitting-string-to-hash/30518/1 "2006-08-31T14:38:30Z")
I have a strings like the following:   s1- "[1] Hello [2] bye"   s2- "[1] Hello [2] bye [2:1] continue [2] more" I want to convert them to hashes like   h1- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye"}   h2- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye", "2:1" =\> "continue", "2:2" =\> more"} Is there an easy Ruby way to do this? Thanks for the help Brian > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://rubytalk.org/u/James_Edward_Gray_II)\ **Post date:** [31 August 2006 14:43 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/splitting-string-to-hash/30518/2 "2006-08-31T14:43:58Z")
I assume more is missing a quote there. Also, how was the 2:2 key determined? James Edward Gray II > **···** > > On Aug 31, 2006, at 9:38 AM, Brian Nice wrote: > > >   s2- "[1] Hello [2] bye [2:1] continue [2] more" > > >   h2- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye", "2:1" =\> "continue", "2:2" =\> more"} ---
**Author:** ![William\_Crawford](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dbc845/32.png) [@William\_Crawford](https://rubytalk.org/u/William_Crawford)\ **Post date:** [31 August 2006 15:20 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/splitting-string-to-hash/30518/3 "2006-08-31T15:20:39Z")
Brian Nice wrote: > I have a strings like the following: >   s1- "[1] Hello [2] bye" >   s2- "[1] Hello [2] bye [2:1] continue [2] more" > > I want to convert them to hashes like >   h1- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye"} >   h2- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye", "2:1" =\> "continue", "2:2" =\> more"} > > Is there an easy Ruby way to do this? > Thanks for the help > Brian Assuming that James is correct in that :2 is missing from the second string, this works: h2 = Hash[\*s2.scan(/\[([^\[\]]+)\] (\w+)/).flatten] (I'm starting to really like Ruby.) In case that's not clear, scan uses a regex to provide an array of 2-element arrays from the text. Then flatten makes it into a single array, then the \* turns it into a list of just values, instead of an array. Then Hash turns each 2 values into a hash. > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![A\_LeDonne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@A\_LeDonne](https://rubytalk.org/u/A_LeDonne)\ **Post date:** [6 September 2006 14:36 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/splitting-string-to-hash/30518/4 "2006-09-06T14:36:27Z")
Brian- Your problem is somewhat underspecified; with more examples and info, someone might be able to help better. Some important questions: - may the phrases include spaces? - can there be more than two levels? - in your examples above, must the frist key be 1, or could it also be "1"? Or perhaps "1:0"? - perhaps some more background on the use case would help as well. Good luck! -Alex > **···** > > On 8/31/06, Brian Nice \ wrote: > > > I have a strings like the following: > >   s1- "[1] Hello [2] bye" > >   s2- "[1] Hello [2] bye [2:1] continue [2] more" > > > > I want to convert them to hashes like > >   h1- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye"} > >   h2- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye", "2:1" =\> "continue", "2:2" =\> more"} > > > > Is there an easy Ruby way to do this? ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Nice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Brian\_Nice](https://rubytalk.org/u/Brian_Nice)\ **Post date:** [31 August 2006 18:49 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/splitting-string-to-hash/30518/5 "2006-08-31T18:49:23Z")
William Crawford wrote: > Brian Nice wrote: > > > I have a strings like the following: > >   s1- "[1] Hello [2] bye" > >   s2- "[1] Hello [2] bye [2:1] continue [2] more" > > > > I want to convert them to hashes like > >   h1- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye"} > >   h2- {1 =\> "Hello", 2 =\> "bye", "2:1" =\> "continue", "2:2" =\> more"} > > > > Is there an easy Ruby way to do this? > > Thanks for the help > > Brian > > Assuming that James is correct in that :2 is missing from the second > string, this works: > > h2 = Hash[\*s2.scan(/\[([^\[\]]+)\] (\w+)/).flatten] > > (I'm starting to really like Ruby.) > > In case that's not clear, scan uses a regex to provide an array of > 2-element arrays from the text. Then flatten makes it into a single > array, then the \* turns it into a list of just values, instead of an > array. Then Hash turns each 2 values into a hash. Actually the original was correct - the second 2 should have a key of 2:2 even though it only appears in the original string as 2 (since it follows a 2:1, it is assumed that any number after it would be 2:x. If there was a 3:1 sometime later, then the next two would have a key of 3:2) s2- "[1] Hello [2] bye [2:1] continue [2] more" Thanks for the help Brian > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C).