# Type conversion **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [July 17, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686 "2007-07-17T22:11:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686/1 "2007-07-17T22:11:44Z")
So there is an to\_s for strings and a to\_i for integers. However, if I have an array of integers and I want to grab one, I get back and ASCII character. For example, when I grab a 1 from the array it returns a 49 - but I wanted the one! How do I convert it back to its integer want-to-be? Thanks, ~S P.S. I imagine this is probably an easy solution but, I am a ruby newbie. ---
**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686/2 "2007-07-17T22:32:32Z")
Shandy N. wrote: > So there is an to\_s for strings and a to\_i for integers. However, if I > have an array of integers and I want to grab one, I get back and ASCII > character. Are you sure you have an array of integers? Show some code. > For example, when I grab a 1 from the array it returns a 49 - > but I wanted the one! How do I convert it back to its integer > want-to-be? Thanks, This works for me: # Create int array, 11 to 19 # the \* expands the range into an array a = \*11…19 # print it to see what we have p a # See what we have at the first location p a[0] # I get 11 – James B. “Take eloquence and wring its neck.” - Paul Verlaine ---
**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 12:43am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686/3 "2007-07-18T00:43:46Z")
On Jul 17, 2007, at 5:05 PM, Ian W. wrote: > > ~S > > irb(main):005:0\> i[0].class > > – > > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). arr = “1234” Will only give you a string. You need : arr = Array.new arr \<\< 1 arr \<\< 2 … OR arr = [1,2,3,4,] At the command line, use ri: ri Array ri ‘[]=’ ri ‘Array#[]=’ ri ‘String#[]=’ ---
**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 12:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686/4 "2007-07-18T00:05:47Z")
Shandy N. wrote: > So there is an to\_s for strings and a to\_i for integers. However, if I > have an array of integers and I want to grab one, I get back and ASCII > character. For example, when I grab a 1 from the array it returns a 49 - > but I wanted the one! How do I convert it back to its integer > want-to-be? Thanks, > > ~S > > P.S. I imagine this is probably an easy solution but, I am a ruby > newbie. Shandy, Perhaps this helps. Note the difference between 004 and 006 irb(main):003:0\> i = “1234” =\> “1234” irb(main):004:0\> i[0] =\> 49 irb(main):005:0\> i[0].class =\> Fixnum irb(main):006:0\> i[0,1] =\> “1” irb(main):007:0\> i[0,1].class =\> String irb(main):008:0\> i[0,1].to\_i =\> 1 irb(main):009:0\> i[0,1].to\_i.class =\> Fixnum Good luck from another newbie. Ian ---
**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686/5 "2007-07-18T17:02:18Z")
Shandy N. wrote: > char = card\_num[i].to\_i > > All I wanted to do was to pick out a single character (a digit) from > that string and perform some calculations on it. But by just saying [i] > I got a 57 value when I wanted the 9 value. When I said [i…i] I got the > 9 value. Thanks for all your help, > > ~S Card\_num[i] is returning the character value at position i. card\_num[i].chr will return the character at position i card\_num[i].chr.to\_i will return the integer value of the character card\_num[i].type =\> Fixnum card\_num[i…i].type =\> String and is why card\_num[i…i].to\_i worked ---
**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686/6 "2007-07-18T16:51:42Z")
Sorry about not giving code. I did finally get it to work, but here is what I had to do: card\_num = “123456789” c = 0 char = card\_num[i…i].to\_i before I had: char = card\_num[i].to\_i All I wanted to do was to pick out a single character (a digit) from that string and perform some calculations on it. But by just saying [i] I got a 57 value when I wanted the 9 value. When I said [i…i] I got the 9 value. Thanks for all your help, ~S ---
**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/type-conversion/109686/7 "2007-07-18T17:09:21Z")
On Jul 18, 2007, at 10:51 AM, Shandy N. wrote: > char = card\_num[i].to\_i > > All I wanted to do was to pick out a single character (a digit) from > that string and perform some calculations on it. But by just saying > [i] > I got a 57 value when I wanted the 9 value. When I said [i…i] I > got the > 9 value. Thanks for all your help, It’s a bit late, I guess, but did you consider something like: ``` "123456789"[-1] - ?0 # => 9 ``` Regards, Morton