# How to use a hash inside a Struct? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [October 22, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877 "2007-10-22T01:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jayson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877/1 "2007-10-22T01:16:20Z")
Is there a way to use a hash inside a Structure. Something like: object = Struct.new(Hash.new(), :attr2, :attr3) I know this doesn’t work, but do you get the idea of what I am trying to do? Jayson ---
**Author:** ![jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jayson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877/2 "2007-10-22T01:21:36Z")
On 10/22/07, Jayson W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Nope. What are you trying to do? -Daniel ---
**Author:** ![jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jayson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877/3 "2007-10-22T01:25:42Z")
On 22/10/2007, Jayson W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Is there a way to use a hash inside a Structure. Something like: > > object = Struct.new(Hash.new(), :attr2, :attr3) Struct objects except Symbols. What is it you’re trying to do? – Thomas A. ---
**Author:** ![jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jayson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877/4 "2007-10-22T01:34:28Z")
I am creating a class that creates elements of a house. For the part that creates new rooms, I wanted to link the room name with a room id. There may be multiple rooms with the same name, but only one room with the unique combination of name and id. I was thinking to use a Hash inside the structure definition of the room for the name and id. ---
**Author:** ![jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jayson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877/5 "2007-10-22T01:37:23Z")
On 10/22/07, Thomas A. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:On 22/10/2007, Jayson W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Is there a way to use a hash inside a Structure. Something like: > > object = Struct.new(Hash.new(), :attr2, :attr3) Do you mean to do something like this?: Thing = Struct.new(:attr1,:attr2,:attr3) t = Thing.new(Hash.new, nil, nil) ---
**Author:** ![jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jayson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 5:40am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877/6 "2007-10-22T05:40:41Z")
I think both of these methods will work Thing = Struct.new(:attr1,:attr2,:attr3) t = Thing.new(Hash.new, nil, nil) and… > require ‘ostruct’ > > house = OpenStruct.new > house.room = {:room\_id =\> ‘id’, :room\_name =\> ‘name’} > house.attr1 = ‘some value’ I was thinking that the attributes in the structure had to be typed first (a bit of c left in me). But it makes sense that I can set up the attribute and put whatever I want there. The second method looks a bit RubyTk’ish. I wonder if RubyTk uses OpenStruct. Anyway, Thanks. This is just what I was looking for Jayson ---
**Author:** ![jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jayson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jayson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-use-a-hash-inside-a-struct/117877/7 "2007-10-22T01:51:25Z")
It might be easier to use OpenStruct. require ‘ostruct’ house = OpenStruct.new house.room = {:room\_id =\> ‘id’, :room\_name =\> ‘name’} house.attr1 = ‘some value’ etc… On 10/22/07, Jayson W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > > > > Nope. What are you trying to do? > > > > -Daniel – “Every child has many wishes. Some include a wallet, two chicks and a cigar, but that’s another story.”