# Regexp+hash problem

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [May 12, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384 "2008-05-12T18:04:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Le_Lann_Jean-Christ)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384/1 "2008-05-12T18:04:50Z")

</div>

Hello !

I becoming totally mad about this simple script, whose goal is to  
capture various information (written in a single file) about some chess  
games : the conversion I need for the month seems to be the problem : I  
am using a hash to convert “Feb” into 2,etc. But, this works only for  
the first line of my file !?

The error reported is “can’t convert String into Integer (TypeError)”,  
but I can’t figure what it means.

Can someone help ?  
Thx  
JC

require ‘date’

# content of the data file

# 16: + 1181 W 1347 tihtu [br 2 12] B06 Res Sun Feb 17, 05:05

PST 2008

# 17: - 1174 B 1242 SUPERFRIJOL [br 2 12] C50 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:03

PST 2008

# 18: + 1188 W 1480 kalvehale [br 2 12] D52 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:13

PST 2008

# 19: + 1193 B 1048 borsodilaci [br 2 12] D00 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:27

PST 2008

# 20: + 1206 W 1439 pipharlow [br 2 12] A45 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:32

PST 2008

# 21: - 1192 B 874 tealush [br 2 12] C20 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:46

PST 2008

# 22: + 1194 W 861 PhatWebah [br 2 12] A40 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:54

PST 2008

# 23: - 1190 B 1420 Alquimista [br 2 12] C47 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:59

PST 2008

# 24: - 1181 W 1156 jkjkjk [br 2 12] D06 Mat Sun Feb 17, 10:19

PST 2008

# 25: - 1175 B 1266 Entangle [br 2 12] B40 Mat Sun Feb 17, 11:34

PST 2008

fileName=ARGV[0] if ARGV[0]

h={  
‘Jan’=\>1,  
‘Feb’=\>2,  
‘Mar’=\>3,  
‘Apr’=\>4,  
‘May’=\>5,  
‘Jun’=\>6,  
‘Jul’=\>7,  
‘Aug’=\>8,  
‘Sep’=\>9,  
‘Oct’=\>10,  
‘Nov’=\>11,  
‘Dec’=\>12,  
}

lineNumber=0  
month = h[‘Feb’]  
File.open(fileName,‘r’) do |f|

```
f.each do |line|

    lineNumber+=1

        res=line.match(/(\d+): (\+|\-) (\d+) (W|B) (\d+) (\w+)

```

(._]) (\w+) (\w+) (\w+) (\w+)(\s_)(\w+), (\d+):(\d+) (\w\*) (\d+)\n/)

```
        if res
            puts "\nprocessing line #{lineNumber}\n"
            puts line
            num = res.captures[0]
            score = res.captures[2].to_i
            m = res.captures[10]
            date = res.captures[12].to_i
            hour = res.captures[13].to_i
            minu = res.captures[14].to_i
            year = res.captures[16].to_i

             puts "captured month = #{m}"

            month = h[m] # <<== can't convert String into Integer

```

(TypeError) on the second line of the file

```
            puts "#{m} corresponds to month #{month}"

            puts num,score,m,date,hour,minu,year

            #dateTime = DateTime.new(y=year,m=2, d=date, h=hour,

```

min=minu, s=0)  
end  
end  
end

My session :

processing line 1  
16: + 1181 W 1347 tihtu [br 2 12] B06 Res Sun Feb 17, 05:05  
PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
16  
1181  
Feb  
17  
5  
5  
2008

processing line 2  
17: - 1174 B 1242 SUPERFRIJOL [br 2 12] C50 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:03  
PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
ChessRate.rb:59:in `[]': can't convert String into Integer (TypeError) from ChessRate.rb:59 from ChessRate.rb:40:in`each’  
from ChessRate.rb:40  
from ChessRate.rb:37:in `open’  
from ChessRate.rb:37

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Le_Lann_Jean-Christ)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384/2 "2008-05-12T19:00:23Z")

</div>

Why don’t use Date.strptime to match the date info ?

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 4:04 PM, Le Lann Jean-Christophe

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Le_Lann_Jean-Christ)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384/3 "2008-05-12T19:01:57Z")

</div>

Le Lann Jean-Christophe wrote:

> Hello !
> 
> I becoming totally mad about this simple script, whose goal is to  
> capture various information (written in a single file) about some chess  
> games : the conversion I need for the month seems to be the problem : I  
> am using a hash to convert “Feb” into 2,etc. But, this works only for  
> the first line of my file !?
> 
> The error reported is “can’t convert String into Integer (TypeError)”,  
> but I can’t figure what it means.
> 
> Can someone help ?  
> Thx  
> JC
> 
> require ‘date’
> 
> # content of the data file
> 
> # 16: + 1181 W 1347 tihtu [br 2 12] B06 Res Sun Feb 17, 05:05
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 17: - 1174 B 1242 SUPERFRIJOL [br 2 12] C50 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:03
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 18: + 1188 W 1480 kalvehale [br 2 12] D52 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:13
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 19: + 1193 B 1048 borsodilaci [br 2 12] D00 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:27
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 20: + 1206 W 1439 pipharlow [br 2 12] A45 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:32
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 21: - 1192 B 874 tealush [br 2 12] C20 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:46
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 22: + 1194 W 861 PhatWebah [br 2 12] A40 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:54
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 23: - 1190 B 1420 Alquimista [br 2 12] C47 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:59
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 24: - 1181 W 1156 jkjkjk [br 2 12] D06 Mat Sun Feb 17, 10:19
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> # 25: - 1175 B 1266 Entangle [br 2 12] B40 Mat Sun Feb 17, 11:34
> 
> PST 2008
> 
> fileName=ARGV[0] if ARGV[0]
> 
> h={  
> ‘Jan’=\>1,  
> ‘Feb’=\>2,  
> ‘Mar’=\>3,  
> ‘Apr’=\>4,  
> ‘May’=\>5,  
> ‘Jun’=\>6,  
> ‘Jul’=\>7,  
> ‘Aug’=\>8,  
> ‘Sep’=\>9,  
> ‘Oct’=\>10,  
> ‘Nov’=\>11,  
> ‘Dec’=\>12,  
> }
> 
> lineNumber=0  
> month = h[‘Feb’]  
> File.open(fileName,‘r’) do |f|
> 
> ```
> f.each do |line|
> 
> lineNumber+=1
> 
> res=line.match(/(\d+): (\+|\-) (\d+) (W|B) (\d+) (\w+)
> 
> ```
> 
> (._]) (\w+) (\w+) (\w+) (\w+)(\s_)(\w+), (\d+):(\d+) (\w\*) (\d+)\n/)
> 
> ```
> if res
> puts "\nprocessing line #{lineNumber}\n"
> puts line
> num = res.captures[0]
> score = res.captures[2].to_i
> m = res.captures[10]
> date = res.captures[12].to_i
> hour = res.captures[13].to_i
> minu = res.captures[14].to_i
> year = res.captures[16].to_i
> 
> puts "captured month = #{m}"
> 
> month = h[m] # <<== can't convert String into Integer
> 
> ```
> 
> (TypeError) on the second line of the file
> 
> ```
> puts "#{m} corresponds to month #{month}"
> 
> puts num,score,m,date,hour,minu,year
> 
> #dateTime = DateTime.new(y=year,m=2, d=date, h=hour,
> 
> ```
> 
> min=minu, s=0)  
> end  
> end  
> end
> 
> My session :
> 
> processing line 1  
> 16: + 1181 W 1347 tihtu [br 2 12] B06 Res Sun Feb 17, 05:05  
> PST 2008  
> captured month = Feb  
> Feb corresponds to month 2  
> 16  
> 1181  
> Feb  
> 17  
> 5  
> 5  
> 2008
> 
> processing line 2  
> 17: - 1174 B 1242 SUPERFRIJOL [br 2 12] C50 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:03  
> PST 2008  
> captured month = Feb  
> ChessRate.rb:59:in `[]': can't convert String into Integer (TypeError) from ChessRate.rb:59 from ChessRate.rb:40:in`each’  
> from ChessRate.rb:40  
> from ChessRate.rb:37:in `open’  
> from ChessRate.rb:37

fileName = “data.txt”

h={  
‘Jan’=\>1,  
‘Feb’=\>2,  
‘Mar’=\>3,  
‘Apr’=\>4,  
‘May’=\>5,  
‘Jun’=\>6,  
‘Jul’=\>7,  
‘Aug’=\>8,  
‘Sep’=\>9,  
‘Oct’=\>10,  
‘Nov’=\>11,  
‘Dec’=\>12,  
}

puts h[“Feb”]

h = [1, 2, 3]  
puts h[“Feb”]

–output:–  
2  
r1test.rb:21:in `[]’: cannot convert String into Integer (TypeError)  
from r1test.rb:21

So, I would guess that you didn’t actually post the code that produced  
that error message. When I run the code you posted, this is the output:

processing line 1

# 16: + 1181 W 1347 tihtu [br 2 12] B06 Res Sun Feb 17, 05:05

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
16  
1181  
Feb  
17  
5  
5  
2008  
before res  
in res

processing line 2

# 17: - 1174 B 1242 SUPERFRIJOL [br 2 12] C50 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:03

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
17  
1174  
Feb  
17  
9  
3  
2008  
before res  
in res

processing line 3

# 18: + 1188 W 1480 kalvehale [br 2 12] D52 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:13

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
18  
1188  
Feb  
17  
9  
13  
2008  
before res  
in res

processing line 4

# 19: + 1193 B 1048 borsodilaci [br 2 12] D00 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:27

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
19  
1193  
Feb  
17  
9  
27  
2008  
before res  
in res

processing line 5

# 20: + 1206 W 1439 pipharlow [br 2 12] A45 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:32

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
20  
1206  
Feb  
17  
9  
32  
2008  
before res  
before res  
before res  
in res

processing line 8

# 23: - 1190 B 1420 Alquimista [br 2 12] C47 Res Sun Feb 17, 09:59

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
23  
1190  
Feb  
17  
9  
59  
2008  
before res  
in res

processing line 9

# 24: - 1181 W 1156 jkjkjk [br 2 12] D06 Mat Sun Feb 17, 10:19

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
24  
1181  
Feb  
17  
10  
19  
2008  
before res  
in res

processing line 10

# 25: - 1175 B 1266 Entangle [br 2 12] B40 Mat Sun Feb 17, 11:34

PST 2008  
captured month = Feb  
Feb corresponds to month 2  
25  
1175  
Feb  
17  
11  
34  
2008

---

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**Author:** ![Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Le_Lann_Jean-Christ)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384/4 "2008-05-12T19:12:48Z")

</div>

-------- Original-Nachricht --------

> Datum: Tue, 13 May 2008 01:04:09 +0900  
> Von: Le Lann Jean-Christophe [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
> An: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid  
> Betreff: regexp+hash problem

> PST 2008
> 
> # 22: + 1194 W 861 PhatWebah [br 2 12] A40 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:54
> 
> fileName=ARGV[0] if ARGV[0]  
> ‘Sep’=\>9,
> 
> ```
> num = res.captures[0] 
> 
> ```
> 
> (TypeError) on the second line of the file
> 
> Feb  
> from ChessRate.rb:59

Hello Jean-Christophe,

I think this is due to the fact that you have sometimes one, sometimes  
two spaces in your data file between (B or W) and what follows and that  
you only allow one space in between the brackets in your regexp.  
Maybe it would be a good idea to set some default value for the Hash  
for undefined keys so that you notice when the Regexp didn’t match …

months=Hash.new(“missing”) # default value of months is “missing”

Best regards,

Axel

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Le_Lann_Jean-Christ)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384/5 "2008-05-12T22:38:36Z")

</div>

Sandro P. wrote:

> Why don’t use Date.strptime to match the date info ?
> 
> On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 4:04 PM, Le Lann Jean-Christophe

Or leave the hard work to Date.parse:

require ‘date’  
DATA.each do |line|  
d = Date.parse(line)  
puts “#{d.day} #{d.month} #{d.year}”  
end  
#=\>

# 12 1 2008

# 17 2 2008

# 17 7 2008

# 17 3 2008

# 29 2 2008

# 17 12 2008

# 17 5 2008

**END**  
16: + 1181 W 1347 tihtu [br 2 12] B06 Res Sun Jan 12, 05:05  
PST 2008  
17: - 1174 B 1242 SUPERFRIJOL [br 2 12] C50 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:03  
PST 2008  
18: + 1188 W 1480 kalvehale [br 2 12] D52 Res Sun Jul 17, 09:13  
PST 2008  
19: + 1193 B 1048 borsodilaci [br 2 12] D00 Mat Sun Mar 17, 09:27  
PST 2008  
20: + 1206 W 1439 pipharlow [br 2 12] A45 Res Sun Feb 29, 09:32  
PST 2008  
21: - 1192 B 874 tealush [br 2 12] C20 Res Sun Dec 17, 09:46  
PST 2008  
22: + 1194 W 861 PhatWebah [br 2 12] A40 Mat Sun May 17, 09:54  
PST 2008

Regards,

Siep

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Le\_Lann\_Jean-Christ](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Le_Lann_Jean-Christ)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/regexp-hash-problem/137384/6 "2008-05-12T19:25:16Z")

</div>

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 11:04 AM, Le Lann Jean-Christophe  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> PST 2008
> 
> # 22: + 1194 W 861 PhatWebah [br 2 12] A40 Mat Sun Feb 17, 09:54
> 
> fileName=ARGV[0] if ARGV[0]  
> ‘Sep’=\>9,  
> ‘Oct’=\>10,  
> ‘Nov’=\>11,  
> ‘Dec’=\>12,  
> }

Just FYI, this is effectively the same as…

require ‘date’  
h = {}  
Date::ABBR\_MONTHNAMES.each\_with\_index {|obj, idx| h[obj] = idx}  
h[“Feb”]

…but I would tend to just use the array since the set is so small…

mons = Date::ABBR\_MONTHNAMES  
mons.index(“Feb”)

> ```
> puts "\nprocessing line #{lineNumber}\n"
> month = h[m] # <<== can't convert String into
> 
> ```
> 
> Integer (TypeError) on the second line of the file  
> puts “#{m} corresponds to month #{month}”
> 
> ```
> puts num,score,m,date,hour,minu,year
> 
> #dateTime = DateTime.new(y=year,m=2, d=date, h=hour,
> 
> ```
> 
> min=minu, s=0) end  
> end  
> end

There is something else going on here, because your code, as written,  
works fine for me as long as the data file is clean and I change your  
regexp so as to account for extra whitespace (like in line nums 21:  
and 22: – this doesn’t cause your error, it just makes you miss those  
lines since res will be nil).

Todd