ruby - Access variable hash depth values with square brackets notation -

given hash:

hash1= { node1: { node2: { node3: { node4: { node5: 1 } } } } } 

we access inside nodes square brackets this:

hash1[:node1][:node2][:node3][:node4] 

now have hash know nested xml response soap webservice, neither depth of hash nor names of nodes stay same. nice if ask user of application hash depth , store in variable. , able hash1[:hash_depth] , achieve same result above.

i have accomplished want following code:

str = 'node1,node2,node3,node4' str_a = str.split(',') hash_copy = hash1 str_a.each { |s| hash_copy = hash_copy.[](s.to_sym) } hash_copy => {:node5=>1} hash1[:node1][:node2][:node3][:node4] => {:node5=>1} 

that asking user enter hash depth separated commas, store in string, split it, make array, clone original hash, go down each level , modify hash till desired node. there way square brackets notation , using variable store depth without modifying hash or needing clone it?

edit: answered following (can't see post anymore???)

hash_depth="[:node1][:node2][:node3][:node4]" eval "hash1#{hash_depth}" 

although eval need, there approach, since have working code comma-separated list:

hash_depth="[:node1][:node2][:node3][:node4]" csh = hash_depth.gsub(/\a\[:|\]\[:|\]\z/, { '][:' => ',' }) #⇒ "node1,node2,node3,node4" 

and free apply existing function csh.