How to read data from a different file without using YAML or JSON

Question

I'm experimenting with a Ruby script that will add data to a Neo4j database using REST API. (Here's the tutorial with all the code if interested.)

The script works if I include the hash data structure in the initialize method but I would like to move the data into a different file so I can make changes to it separately using a different script.

I'm relatively new to Ruby. If I copy the following data structure into a separate file, is there a simple way to read it from my existing script when I call @data? I've heard one could do something with YAML or JSON (not familiar with how either work). What's the easiest way to read a file and how could I go about coding that?

#I want to copy this data into a different file and read it with my script when I call @data.
{
  nodes:[
        {:label=>"Person", :title=>"title_here", :name=>"name_here"}
        ]
} 

And here is part of my code, it should be enough for the purposes of this question.

class RGraph

  def initialize    

    @url = 'http://localhost:7474/db/data/cypher'

    #If I put this hash structure into a different file, how do I make @data read that file?
    @data = {
            nodes:[
                {:label=>"Person", :title=>"title_here", :name=>"name_here"}
            ]
            } 


  end

  #more code here... not relevant to question

  def create_nodes
    # Scan file, find each node and create it in Neo4j
    @data.each do |key,value|
        if key == :nodes
            @data[key].each do |node| # Cycle through each node
                next unless node.has_key?(:label) # Make sure this node has a label
                #WE have sufficient data to create a node
                label = node[:label]
                attr = Hash.new
                node.each do |k,v| # Hunt for additional attributes
                    next if k == :label # Don't create an attribute for "label"
                    attr[k] = v
                end
                create_node(label,attr)
             end
          end
      end
  end

rGraph = RGraph.new

rGraph.create_nodes

end

Answer 1

Given that OP said in comments "I'm not against using either of those", let's do it in YAML (which preserves the Ruby object structure best). Save it:

@data = {
        nodes:[
            {:label=>"Person", :title=>"title_here", :name=>"name_here"}
        ]
    } 
require 'yaml'
File.write('config.yaml', YAML.dump(@data))

This will create config.yaml:

---
:nodes:
- :label: Person
  :title: title_here
  :name: name_here

If you read it in, you get exactly what you saved:

require 'yaml'
@data = YAML.load(File.read('config.yaml'))
puts @data.inspect
# => {:nodes=>[{:label=>"Person", :title=>"title_here", :name=>"name_here"}]}