# I can't get hash list params working

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/i-cant-get-hash-list-params-working/56673>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [April 2, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/i-cant-get-hash-list-params-working/56673 "2006-04-02T16:45:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ashley\_M](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ashley\_M](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ashley_M)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/i-cant-get-hash-list-params-working/56673/1 "2006-04-02T16:45:11Z")

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Hi

I must be doing something stoopid here. Can anyone explain why I get  
an error on the last line of this irb session?

irb(main):014:0\> def a(a=nil,\*b)  
irb(main):015:1\> puts a.inspect  
irb(main):016:1\> puts b.inspect  
irb(main):017:1\> end  
=\> nil  
irb(main):018:0\> a(1 =\> “one”, 2 =\> “two”)  
{1=\>“one”, 2=\>“two”}  
[]  
=\> nil  
irb(main):019:0\> a(1 =\> “one”, 2 =\> “two”, 1)  
SyntaxError: compile error  
(irb):19: parse error, unexpected ‘)’, expecting tASSOC  
from (irb):19  
from :0

Surely the output should be  
{1=\>“one”, 2=\>“two”}  
[1]  
?

I tried the example in Pickaxe v2 (p349) and got a similar error.  
Someone please slap my head for me 🙂

thanks  
Ashley

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ashley\_M](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ashley\_M](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Ashley_M)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/i-cant-get-hash-list-params-working/56673/2 "2006-04-02T16:48:17Z")

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Hi –

On Sun, 2 Apr 2006, Ashley M. wrote:

> irb(main):018:0\> a(1 =\> “one”, 2 =\> “two”)  
> Surely the output should be  
> {1=\>“one”, 2=\>“two”}  
> [1]  
> ?

You can only use the “magic” hash argument if it’s the last thing in  
the arglist. If it isn’t, you have to write it like a regular hash:

a({1 =\> “one”, 2 =\> “two”}, 1)

David

–  
David A. Black (removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid)  
Ruby Power and Light, LLC ([http://www.rubypowerandlight.com](http://www.rubypowerandlight.com))

“Ruby for Rails” chapters now available  
from Manning Early Access Program! [Ruby for Rails](http://www.manning.com/books/black)