# Default value in hash

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-value-in-hash/146148>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [August 18, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-value-in-hash/146148 "2008-08-18T15:42:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![paulbutcher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@paulbutcher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/paulbutcher)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-value-in-hash/146148/1 "2008-08-18T15:42:57Z")

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How do I add a default value in this hash / helper?

def doctype  
{“application/msword” =\> “doc”, “text/rtf” =\> “rtf”, “text/plain” =\>  
“text”, “application/pdf” =\> “pdf”, “text/html” =\> “html”,  
“application/vnd.ms-excel” =\> “excel”, “text/xml” =\> “xml”,  
“application/mspowerpoint” =\> “ppt”, “image/jpeg” =\> “jpg”, ,  
“image/gif” =\> “gif”, “image/png” =\> “png” }  
end

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paulbutcher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@paulbutcher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/paulbutcher)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-value-in-hash/146148/2 "2008-08-18T19:35:40Z")

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def doctype  
h = Hash.new {“some\_default\_value”}  
h.merge({“application/msword” =\> “doc”, “text/rtf” =\> “rtf”,  
“text/plain” =\> “text”, “application/pdf” =\> “pdf”,  
“text/html” =\> “html”, “application/vnd.ms-excel” =\>  
“excel”, “text/xml” =\> “xml”, “application/mspowerpoint” =\>  
“ppt”, “image/jpeg” =\> “jpg”, “image/gif” =\> “gif”,  
“image/png” =\> “png” })  
end

On Aug 18, 6:42 am, Pål Bergström [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paulbutcher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@paulbutcher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/paulbutcher)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-value-in-hash/146148/3 "2008-08-18T21:43:15Z")

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Bosco So wrote:

> def doctype  
> h = Hash.new {“some\_default\_value”}  
> h.merge({“application/msword” =\> “doc”, “text/rtf” =\> “rtf”,  
> “text/plain” =\> “text”, “application/pdf” =\> “pdf”,  
> “text/html” =\> “html”, “application/vnd.ms-excel” =\>  
> “excel”, “text/xml” =\> “xml”, “application/mspowerpoint” =\>  
> “ppt”, “image/jpeg” =\> “jpg”, “image/gif” =\> “gif”,  
> “image/png” =\> “png” })  
> end
> 
> On Aug 18, 6:42 am, P�l Bergstr�m [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

Thanks 🙂