Passing array as input variable into a Ruby file from zsh CLI - zsh

Question

I am writing a ruby file that is called from zsh and, among others, I am trying to pass an array as an input variable like that:
ruby cim_manager.rb test --target=WhiteLabel --devices=["iPhone 8", "iPhone 12 Pro"]
Inside my ruby file I have a function:
# Generates a hash value from an array of arguments
#
# #param [Array<String>] The array of values. Each value of the array needs to separate the key and the value with "=". All "--" substrings will be replaced for empty substrings
#
# #return [Hash]
#
def generate_hash_from_arguemnts(args)
hash = {}
args.each{ |item|
item = item.gsub("--", "")
item = item.split("=")
puts item.kind_of?(Array)
hash[item[0].to_s] = item[1].to_s
}
return hash
end
So I can have a value like:
{"target": "WhiteLabel", "devices": ["iPhone 8", "iPhone 12 Pro"]}
The error I am getting when executing my Ruby file is:
foo#Mac-mini fastlane % ruby cim_manager.rb test --target=WhiteLabel --devices=["iPhone 8", "iPhone 12 Pro"]
zsh: bad pattern: --devices=[iPhone 8,
Any ideas?

Answer 1

#ReimondHill : I don't see how the error is possibly related to Ruby. You have a zsh-line, in which you have --devices= [.... You could get the same error when doing a
echo --devices=["iPhone 8", "iPhone 12 Pro"]
An open square bracket is a zsh wildcard construct; for instance, [aeiou] is a wildcard which tries to match against a vocal in a file name. Hence, this parameter tries to match against files starting with the name --devices= in your working directory, so you would expect an error message like no matches found: --devices=.... However, there is one gotcha: The list of characters between [ ... ] must not have an (unescaped) space. Therefore, you don't see no matches found, but bad pattern.
After all, you don't want a filename expansion to occur, but pass the parameter to your program. Therefore you need to quote it:
ruby .... '--devices=["iPhone 8", "iPhone 12 Pro"]'
Ronald

Answer 2

Following the answer from #user1934428, I am extending my ruby file like that:
# Generates a hash value from an array of arguments
#
# #param [Array<String>] The array of values. Each value of the array needs to separate the key and the value with "=". All "--" substrings will be replaced for empty substrings
#
# #return [Hash]
#
def generate_hash_from_arguemnts(args)
hash = {}
args.each{ |item|
item = item.gsub("--", "")
item = item.gsub("\"", "")
item = item.split("=")
key = item[0].to_s
value = item[1]
if value.include?("[") && value.include?("]") #Or any other pattern you decide
value = value.gsub("[","")
value = value.gsub("]","")
value = value.split(",")
end
hash[key] = value
}
return hash
end
And then my zsh-line:
ruby cim_manager.rb test --target=WhiteLabel --devices='[iPhone 8,iPhone 12 Pro]'
The return value from generate_hash_from_arguemnts prints:
{"target"=>"WhiteLabel", "devices"=>["iPhone 8", "iPhone 12 Pro"]}