Convert between XML, Hash, YAML, JSON in Ruby - Conversion Cheat Sheet
Here's a little XML/JSON/YAML/Hashconversioncheat sheet for Ruby: First, let's create an XML document:
Without Rails/ActiveSupport, have a look at
Crack
whichvery fastand will usually give you enough fields. If you have attributes
and a text value in the same node however (
Have a look here: http://blog.jayfields.com/2008/01/ruby-hashtomod.html
Also have a look at Crack:
There is currently no way to preserve the attributes (like <person age="10">Joe) with such conversion from Hash to XML.
Joe Harris: just FYI, Crack doesn't eat the attributes it sticks them in a hidden pouch. They can be retrieved using the .attributes method. :-)
dirk: @Joe: Thanks, very helpful info! I've updated the post.
Joe Harris: Dirk, Have a look at the 0.3.1 source in file 'xml.rb' lines 83-92. The attributes method only gets added to text nodes. It could probably be hacked to add them everywhere but you'd need to watch out for side effects.
dirk: Hmm, I just rechecked and can't find the .attributes method. As of version 0.8.1 crack can either return the XML-element's text value or the attribute, not both; see here: http://railstips.org/blog/archives/2009/04/01/crack-the-easiest-way-to-parse-xml-and-json/
dirk: @Joe: You're right, I must have tried on a different type of node or I simply overlooked it. Sorry about that.
Nick Roosevelt: It sure would be nice if xml, json, and yaml string conversions to and from ruby objects were all of the same form. I guess the xml stuff would be difficult because there is not a standard way of encoding an object in xml, but at least json (.from_json as well as .to_json) and yaml (.from_json as well as .to_json) would be nice. Perhaps I will do that...
Larry: Very helpful code. I wish the ruby documentation was as clear as your code. Sometimes the documentation confuses me even more. It is easy to see what the code does. Even for a beginner like me. Thanks a lot.
Posted: 05 August 2010