# The MethodicHash is some method_missing magic that tries to lookup values
# when keys are passed in as method calls. For instance, if
#
#   mh = MethodicHash.new
#   mh['four'] = 'iv'
#   mh[:seven] = 'vii'
#
# then
#
#   mh['four'] ---> 'iv'
#   mh[:four]  ---> 'iv'
#   mh.four    ---> 'iv'
#
# and
#
#   mh['seven'] ---> 'vii'
#   mh[:seven]  ---> 'vii'
#   mh.seven    ---> 'vii'
#
# This allows access to simply declared facts to be embedded in Ruby code and
# leverages the possibility of hashing procs.
#
# Note that if the hash uses anything but strings or symbols as keys, the
# magic stands a good chance of failing, raising an error or acting in a
# bizarre manner.
class MethodicHash < Hash
  
  # Try to look up using a key directly, or if that fails as a string, or as
  # a symbol as last resort. If a symbol conversion doesn't exists, rescue
  # with a nil.
  def [](key)
    begin
      super(key) || super(key.to_s) || super(key.to_sym)
    rescue
      nil
    end
  end
  
  # A missing method is assummed to be the value of a key.
  def method_missing(method,*args)
    self[method]
  end

end