xml to hash real easy

xml_to_hash_example.rb

# how can we quickly get to a Hash object from XML?
# what's the disadvantages?  what do we throw away?
# maybe sometimes we want to use nokogiri's xpath and other API methods ...

require 'nori'
parser = Nori.new(
  :parser => :nokogiri, 
  :convert_tags_to => lambda { |tag| tag.snakecase.to_sym }
)

# attributes are gone!
doc = parser.parse '<products><product type="fruit">apple</product></products>'
# =>  {:products=>{:product=>"apple"}}

# or are they?!
doc[:products][:product].attributes
# => {"type"=>"fruit"}

# nori seems to do some magic beyond what Hash is
# even though it claims the objects are hashes -- crazy!!
doc[:products].class
# => Hash
# what?!

# oh ok, it's a hash of special objects
doc[:products][:product].class
# => Nori::StringWithAttributes

# mystery solved.