You can use an array or hash for this purpose (in your environment.rb):
OPTIONS = ['one', 'two', 'three']
OPTIONS = {:one => 1, :two => 2, :three => 3}
or alternatively an enumeration class, which allows you to enumerate over your constants as well as the keys used to associate them:
class Enumeration
def Enumeration.add_item(key,value)
@hash ||= {}
@hash[key]=value
end
def Enumeration.const_missing(key)
@hash[key]
end
def Enumeration.each
@hash.each {|key,value| yield(key,value)}
end
def Enumeration.values
@hash.values || []
end
def Enumeration.keys
@hash.keys || []
end
def Enumeration.[](key)
@hash[key]
end
end
which you can then derive from:
class Values < Enumeration
self.add_item(:RED, '#f00')
self.add_item(:GREEN, '#0f0')
self.add_item(:BLUE, '#00f')
end
and use like this:
Values::RED => '#f00'
Values::GREEN => '#0f0'
Values::BLUE => '#00f'
Values.keys => [:RED, :GREEN, :BLUE]
Values.values => ['#f00', '#0f0', '#00f']