--- /dev/null
+class Hash
+ # Returns a JSON string representing the hash.
+ #
+ # Without any +options+, the returned JSON string will include all
+ # the hash keys. For example:
+ #
+ # { :name => "Konata Izumi", 'age' => 16, 1 => 2 }.to_json
+ # # => {"name": "Konata Izumi", 1: 2, "age": 16}
+ #
+ # The keys in the JSON string are unordered due to the nature of hashes.
+ #
+ # The <tt>:only</tt> and <tt>:except</tt> options can be used to limit the
+ # attributes included, and will accept 1 or more hash keys to include/exclude.
+ #
+ # { :name => "Konata Izumi", 'age' => 16, 1 => 2 }.to_json(:only => [:name, 'age'])
+ # # => {"name": "Konata Izumi", "age": 16}
+ #
+ # { :name => "Konata Izumi", 'age' => 16, 1 => 2 }.to_json(:except => 1)
+ # # => {"name": "Konata Izumi", "age": 16}
+ #
+ # The +options+ also filter down to any hash values. This is particularly
+ # useful for converting hashes containing ActiveRecord objects or any object
+ # that responds to options in their <tt>to_json</tt> method. For example:
+ #
+ # users = User.find(:all)
+ # { :users => users, :count => users.size }.to_json(:include => :posts)
+ #
+ # would pass the <tt>:include => :posts</tt> option to <tt>users</tt>,
+ # allowing the posts association in the User model to be converted to JSON
+ # as well.
+ def to_json(options = {}) #:nodoc:
+ hash_keys = self.keys
+
+ if options[:except]
+ hash_keys = hash_keys - Array(options[:except])
+ elsif options[:only]
+ hash_keys = hash_keys & Array(options[:only])
+ end
+
+ returning result = '{' do
+ result << hash_keys.map do |key|
+ "#{ActiveSupport::JSON.encode(key)}: #{ActiveSupport::JSON.encode(self[key], options)}"
+ end * ', '
+ result << '}'
+ end
+ end
+end