Read and write in property style. Sample: ps = PropertyStruct.new; p['a1.a2.a3']=3 ps['a1'] = #<PropertyStruct:...> ps['a1.a2.a3'] = 3

property_struct.rb

class PropertyStruct

  def initialize(nil_safe = true)
    @nil_safe = !!nil_safe
    @data     = {}
  end

  def [](attribute)
    result = @data

    attributes = build_attribute_path(attribute)
    attributes.each do |attr|
      break if result.nil? && nil_safe?
      result = read_object_value(result, attr)
    end

    result
  end

  def []=(attribute, value)
    attributes = build_attribute_path(attribute)

    if (attributes.length == 1)
      @data[attribute] = value
      return self
    end

    reader_attributes = attributes[0..-2]
    writer_attribute  = attributes[-1]

    value_holder = self
    reader_attributes.each do |attr|
      result = read_object_value(value_holder, attr)

      if result.nil? && value_holder.kind_of?(PropertyStruct)
        result = PropertyStruct.new
        value_holder[attr] = result
      end

      value_holder = result
    end

    write_object_value(value_holder, writer_attribute, value)

    value
  end

  def nil_safe?
    @nil_safe
  end


  private

  def build_attribute_path(attribute)
    attribute_path = clean_attribute_path(attribute)
    attribute_path.split('.')
  end

  def clean_attribute_path(attribute)
    attribute || ''
  end

  def read_object_value(object, attribute)
    (object.kind_of?(Hash) || object.kind_of?(PropertyStruct)) ? object[attribute] : object.send(attribute)
  end

  def write_object_value(object, attribute, value)
    (object.kind_of?(Hash) || object.kind_of?(PropertyStruct)) ? object[attribute] = value : object.send("#{attribute}=", value)
  end

end