Ruby - elegantly convert variable to an array if not an array already

Array(whatever) should do the trick

Array([1,2,3]) # [1,2,3]
Array(nil) # []
Array(1337)   # [1337]

The simplest solution is to use [foo].flatten(1). Unlike other proposed solutions, it will work well for (nested) arrays, hashes and nil:

def wrap(foo)
  [foo].flatten(1)
end

wrap([1,2,3])         #= [1,2,3]
wrap([[1,2],[3,4]])   #= [[1,2],[3,4]]
wrap(1)               #= [1]
wrap(nil)             #= [nil]
wrap({key: 'value'})  #= [{key: 'value'}]

[*foo] or Array(foo) will work most of the time, but for some cases like a hash, it messes it up.

Array([1, 2, 3])    # => [1, 2, 3]
Array(1)            # => [1]
Array(nil)          # => []
Array({a: 1, b: 2}) # => [[:a, 1], [:b, 2]]

[*[1, 2, 3]]    # => [1, 2, 3]
[*1]            # => [1]
[*nil]          # => []
[*{a: 1, b: 2}] # => [[:a, 1], [:b, 2]]

The only way I can think of that works even for a hash is to define a method.

class Object; def ensure_array; [self] end end
class Array; def ensure_array; to_a end end
class NilClass; def ensure_array; to_a end end

[1, 2, 3].ensure_array    # => [1, 2, 3]
1.ensure_array            # => [1]
nil.ensure_array          # => []
{a: 1, b: 2}.ensure_array # => [{a: 1, b: 2}]

With ActiveSupport (Rails): Array.wrap

Array.wrap([1, 2, 3])     # => [1, 2, 3]
Array.wrap(1)             # => [1]
Array.wrap(nil)           # => []
Array.wrap({a: 1, b: 2})  # => [{:a=>1, :b=>2}]

If you are not using Rails, you can define your own method similar to the rails source.

class Array
  def self.wrap(object)
    if object.nil?
      []
    elsif object.respond_to?(:to_ary)
      object.to_ary || [object]
    else
      [object]
    end
  end
end