Encoding an integer id as a slug

integer_id_to_lsug.rb

# Note that I haven't read about the difference between the base 64 RFCs
def to_slug(id)
  ber_id = [id].pack('w')      # => "\x85\xC8_"
  b64_id = [ber_id].pack('m')  # => "hchf\n"
  b64_id[/\A(.*?)=*\n*\z/, 1]  # => "hchf"
end                            # => :to_slug

def from_slug(slug)
  slug.unpack('m')   # => ["\x85\xC8_"]
      .first         # => "\x85\xC8_"
      .unpack('w')   # => [91231]
      .first         # => 91231
end                  # => :from_slug

id     = 91231       # => 91231
slug   = to_slug id  # => "hchf"
from_slug slug       # => 91231