regex - Escaping a Ruby String for TextMate's $DIALOG command -

calling regex gurus. i'm having trouble right escaping string in ruby can pass command line utility using exec, %x{} or similar. command line command textmate dialog feature, works (run shell script in textmate.):

$dialog -mp "items=('string1','string2', 'string3');" requestitem 

but can use nib file specify "path/to/my/nib/file.nib" so, need pass whole command string exec

command = <<string $dialog -mp "items=('string1','string2', 'string3');" "path/to/my/nib/file.nib" string exec command 

this works fine naturally. problem running components of items array determined programmatically, need programmatically escape string in way pass $dialog command properly.

so far, have determined need escape single quotes, double quotes, , newline , tab characters. i've tried ton of potential regular expression solutions haven't yet been able land on reliable escaping mechanism. basically, need fill in

class string     def escape_for_dialog         self     end end 

with right self.gsub calls escape strings putting parameters. so, let's assume params looked @ runtime, here's think need using same example above:

command = <<string $dialog -mp "items=('#{item1.escape_for_dialog}', '#{item2.escape_for_dialog}', '#{item3.escape_for_dialog}');" "path/to/my/nib/file.nib" string exec command 

i have figured out heredoc style helps not having remember escape quotes, parameters still problematic i'm asking better string manipulation , regular expressions lend hand @ filling in string method. i'll grateful! :)

string.inspect escape delimiters & etc. in way makes shell happy:

itemlist = "(#{items.join(', ')})" command = [   $dialog,   '-mp',   itemlist.inspect,   'path/to/my/nib/file.nib', ].join(' ') system(command)