Save your keyboard while writing Chef's attribute files

#
# /my_recipe/librairies/shared.rb
#
class Chef
  class Recipe
    
    # Fill an attribute with given hash
    def attribute_from_hash(hash)
      attribute = Mash.new
      
      hash.each do |key, value|
        if value.is_a?(Hash)
          attribute[key] = attribute_from_hash(value) unless attribute.has_key?(key)
        else
          attribute[key] = value unless attribute.has_key?(key)
        end
      end
      
      attribute
    end
    
  end # class Recipe
end # class Chef


#
# /my_recipe/attributes/my_recipe.rb
#
my_recipe attribute_from_hash(
  :foo => "bar,
  :amqp => {
    :user  => "user"
    :pass  => "pass",
    :vhost => "/vhost",
    :host  => "localhost",
    :port  => "5672",
  },
  :couchdb => {
    :host     => "localhost",
    :port     => "5984",
    :url      => "http://127.0.0.1:5984",
    :database => "pouet",
  },
  :xmpp => {
    :host     => "localhost",
    :port     => "5222",
    :user     => "user",
    :password => "pass",
  },
) unless attribute?(:my_recipe)