lib/methodic_hash.rb in eymiha_util-0.1.2 vs lib/methodic_hash.rb in eymiha_util-0.1.3

@@ -1,30 +1,33 @@
-# The MethodicHash is some method_missing magic that tries to lookup values
-# when keys are passed in as method calls. For instance, if
+# The MethodicHash is some method_missing magic that uses method names as hash
+# keys, so hash assignment and lookup appear to be attribute writing and
+# reading. For instance, if
 #
 #   mh = MethodicHash.new
-#   mh['four'] = 'iv'
-#   mh[:seven] = 'vii'
+#   mh['four']  = 'iv'
+#   mh[:seven]  = 'vii'
+#   mh.eighteen = 'xviii'
 #
 # then
 #
-#   mh['four'] ---> 'iv'
-#   mh[:four]  ---> 'iv'
-#   mh.four    ---> 'iv'
+#   mh['four']     ---> 'iv'
+#   mh[:four]      ---> 'iv'
+#   mh.four        ---> 'iv'
+#   mh['seven']    ---> 'vii'
+#   mh[:seven]     ---> 'vii'
+#   mh.seven       ---> 'vii'
+#   mh['eighteen'] ---> 'xviii'
+#   mh[:eighteen]  ---> 'xviii'
+#   mh.eighteen    ---> 'xviii'
 #
-# 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.
+# bizarre manner. Note also that methods of the Hash cannot be used as
+# 'attribute' names.
 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.
@@ -34,11 +37,17 @@
     rescue
       nil
     end
   end
   
-  # A missing method is assummed to be the value of a key.
+  # A missing method is assummed to be the assignment of a value of a key, or
+  # the lookup of a value with a key.
   def method_missing(method,*args)
-    self[method]
+    string = method.to_s
+    if string[string.length-1,1] == '='
+      self[string[0,string.length-1].to_sym] = args[0]
+    else
+      self[method]
+    end
   end
 
 end