Object#value_at_keypath

hash.rb

class Object
  # Returns the value at the specified path.
  # For example, "foo.bar.baz" as a path would return the
  # value at self[:foo][:bar][:baz]. If self doesn't contain one of
  # the keys specified in path, It will return the farthest object found (will return self if it couldn't find anything).
  #
  # @param String keypath A path composed of keys separated with "." specifying a deep-nested path
  # @return Object the value object

  class Object
  def value_at_keypath(keypath)
    keypath = keypath.split(".") unless keypath.is_a?(Array)
    key     = keypath.shift(1)[0].to_sym
    value   = self


    if self.is_a?(Hash) && self.has_key?(key)
      value = self[key]
    elsif self.respond_to?(key)
      value = self.send(key)
    end

    if (keypath.length > 0) 
      return value.value_at_keypath(keypath)
    else
      return value
    end
  end
end
end

hash_test.rb

a = [1,2,4,5]
b = { :a => { :b => {:c => [1,2,3,4]}}, :b => 'bar'}

a.value_at_keypath("join") => "1245"
b.value_at_keypath("a.b.c.join") => "1234"
b.value_at_keypath("a.b.c") => [1,2,3,4]
b.value_at_keypath("b") => "bar"
b.value_at_keypath("b.e") => 
b.value_at_keypath("a.b.e") => {:c=>[1, 2, 3, 4]}
b.value_at_keypath("zing!") => {:a=>{:b=>{:c=>[1, 2, 3, 4]}}, :b=>"bar"}