# Trying to turn params field into a variable

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/trying-to-turn-params-field-into-a-variable/59044>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 28, 2006, 4:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/trying-to-turn-params-field-into-a-variable/59044 "2006-04-28T04:27:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bing](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bing](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Bing)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 4:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/trying-to-turn-params-field-into-a-variable/59044/1 "2006-04-28T04:27:37Z")

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Hi guys,

I have another question, we have this line on our .rb code:

@variable = params [:user][:bird]

I need to be able to change the 2nd field into a variable because it is  
a changing valuename, I was wondering if you had any trick for that.  
Meaning I need to make [:bird] into [:dog] or [:cat]…

It’s proven really tricky for me to get it to change I wonder if you  
guys had any suggestions to it.

thanks,

Bing

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**Author:** ![Bing](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bing](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Bing)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 7:28am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/trying-to-turn-params-field-into-a-variable/59044/2 "2006-04-28T07:28:15Z")

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You should be able to use the to\_sym method to turn your variable name  
into  
a symbol.

varname = “monkey”  
@variable params [:user][varname.to\_sym]

-Steve  
[http://www.stevelongdo.com](http://www.stevelongdo.com)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bing](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bing](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Bing)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 9:29am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/trying-to-turn-params-field-into-a-variable/59044/3 "2006-04-28T09:29:46Z")

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Hi Steve,

thanks so much, your solution works great!

Bing