gistfile1.rb

# USAGE: Hash.from_libxml(YOUR_XML_STRING)
require 'xml/libxml'
# adapted from 
# http://movesonrails.com/articles/2008/02/25/libxml-for-active-resource-2-0

class Hash 
  class << self
    def from_libxml(xml, strict=true) 
      begin
        XML.default_load_external_dtd = false
        XML.default_pedantic_parser = strict
        result = XML::Parser.string(xml).parse 
        return { result.root.name.to_s => xml_node_to_hash(result.root)} 
      rescue Exception => e
        # raise your custom exception here
      end
    end 

    def xml_node_to_hash(node) 
      # If we are at the root of the document, start the hash 
      if node.element? 
        if node.children? 
          result_hash = {} 

          node.each_child do |child| 
            result = xml_node_to_hash(child) 

            if child.name == "text"
              if !child.next? and !child.prev?
                return result
              end
            elsif result_hash[child.name.to_sym]
              if result_hash[child.name.to_sym].is_a?(Object::Array)
                result_hash[child.name.to_sym] << result
              else
                result_hash[child.name.to_sym] = [result_hash[child.name.to_sym]] << result
              end
            else 
              result_hash[child.name.to_sym] = result
            end
          end

          return result_hash 
        else 
          return nil 
        end 
      else 
        return node.content.to_s 
      end 
    end          
  end
end