Element#siblings_at, Element#nodes_at

  >> doc.at(:h3)
  => {elem h3 {text "bottles and cans"} h3}
  >> doc.at(:h3).siblings_at(0..2)
  => #<Hpricot::Elements[
       {elem <h3> {text "bottles and cans"} </h3>}, 
       {elem <p> {text "just clap your hands"} </p>}, 
       {elem <ul> {elem <li> {text "2 turntables"} </li>}
         {elem <li> {text "a microphone"} </li>} </ul>}]>

Basically: grab this element, as well as the two siblings below it. The nodes_at method will include text elements and comments.

  >> doc.at(:h3).nodes_at(0..2)
  => #<Hpricot::Elements[
       {elem <h3> {text "bottles and cans"} </h3>},
       {text "\n"}, 
       {elem <p> {text "just clap your hands"} </p>}]>

You can also do stuff like nodes_at(-2, 2, 5) to grab specific elements. Nodes positioned at two places above, two places below and five places below the selected element. (doc)

text() and comment()

  >> doc.search("p/text()")
  => #<Hpricot::Elements[{text "just clap your hands"}]>
  >> doc.at("//comment()")
  => {comment "<!-- insert mp3 of applause here -->"}

Element#to_original_html

  >> doc = Hpricot("<p>a bunch of <b>messy <i>messy</b> html that" +
       "doesn't</u> match up<!_ egg _!>")
  => #<Hpricot::Doc {elem <p> {text "a bunch of "} {elem <b> {text "messy "} 
       {elem <i> {text "messy"}} </b>} {text " html that doesn't"} 
       {bogusetag</uu</u>>} {text " match up<!_ egg _!>"}}>
  >> puts doc.to_original_html
  <p>a bunch of <b>messy <i>messy</b> html that doesn't match up<!_ egg _!>

XPath indices

  >> doc.at("li[1]")
  => {elem li {text "a microphone"} li}

Those indices work like E:nth-of-type.

Version 0.5 of Hpricot is nearing. Please test the latest gem to help me figure out any subtleties. Also, rdoc is now included. So, yeah: HELP!

 gem install hpricot --source code.whytheluckystiff.net

• [ruby-talk:231165], a ornament of obfuscation by chris2. (A three-year tradition, following [ruby-talk:172428] and [ruby-talk:124391].)
• The Humble Little Ruby Book is now a free HTML book! Since the PickAxe II, we’ve seen Ruby zoom off to the presses, leaving our free docs in the dust. Well-played, Mr. Neighborly.
• I’m sure you all followed the Ruby Inside Advent Calendar. I think my favorite day was the post Peter made about his Ruby Slum.
• Err the Blog’s Railsisms calendar, oh course.

I’m giving to Eigenclass this year. Plainly, Mauricio blows us all away. He’s operating at thetan level VII or something. His wmii stuff, his ftsearch stuff, his coverage of 1.9/2.0 materials. Hot skates, I love it!

My gift is an alt. design, which is still in-progress. Cheery-oh!

Oh wait! But not with out the DHH boogie elf from project.ioni.st.