generic_hash_lookup.rb

class GenericHashLookup
  attr_accessor :state_hash, :office_hash, :agent_hash
  
  def state(abbr)
    generic_getter(Mls::State, 'state_hash', 'abbreviation', abbr)
  end
  
  def office_hash(mls_id)
    generic_getter(Mls::Office, 'office_hash', 'mls_id', mls_id)
  end
  
  def agent_hash(mls_id)
    generic_getter(Mls::Agent, 'agent_hash', 'mls_id', mls_id)
  end
  
  def generic_getter(klass, class_variable, method_name, key)
    if self.send(class_variable).class.to_s == 'NilClass'
      tmp = {}
      klass.all.each{|i| tmp[i.send(method_name)] = i.id}
      self.send("#{class_variable}=", tmp)
    end
    unless self.send(class_variable).has_key?(key)
      tmp_class = klass.create({method_name.to_sym => key})
      self.send(class_variable)[key] = tmp_class.id
    end
    self.send(class_variable)[key]
  end
end