Forum: Ruby How to pass established/defined arrays into def method.

I am trying to pass a defined array into a method. Ruby is interpreting
it as an undefined local variable. Is there a way around this? Also, can
a def method take a string and an array as parameters?

player1 = [ ["Ten", 10, "Hearts"], ["King", 13, "Clubs"], ["Queen", 12,
"Clubs"], ["Three", 3, "Clubs"], ["Ten", 10, "Clubs"], ["Jack", 10,
"Clubs"], ["Ten", 2, "Diamonds"] ]

def check_for_flush(suit, player)
  occurrences_of_suit = 0
  player1.each do |subarray|
          if  subarray[2] == "#{suit}"
    occurrences_of_suit += 1
    end
  end

suit_hand = []
  if suit >= 5
    $player1.each do |subarray|
      if subarray[2] == "#{suit}"
        suit_hand << subarray
      end
    end
  end
        puts suit_hand.inspect
end

check_for_flush ('Clubs' )
check_for_flush ('Spades' )
check_for_flush ('Diamonds')
check_for_flush ('Hearts')

# I would also like to create a parameter player so that I can load
different arrays into the method.

On Wed, Feb 6, 2013 at 7:25 PM, Tom Stut <lists@ruby-forum.com> wrote:
> I am trying to pass a defined array into a method. Ruby is interpreting
> it as an undefined local variable. Is there a way around this?

See comments below in your code...

> Also, can
> a def method take a string and an array as parameters?

Absolutely, as you have it below should work fine.

>
> player1 = [ ["Ten", 10, "Hearts"], ["King", 13, "Clubs"], ["Queen", 12,
> "Clubs"], ["Three", 3, "Clubs"], ["Ten", 10, "Clubs"], ["Jack", 10,
> "Clubs"], ["Ten", 2, "Diamonds"] ]
>
> def check_for_flush(suit, player)
>   occurrences_of_suit = 0
>   player1.each do |subarray|

Maybe a typo here: you are passing in player in the call, should this be
player.each instead?

If not -- player1 is a local variable inside the method
check_for_flush and has not been defined as anything, so it's nil, and
you can't take .each of a nil.

An aside, it's generally peferrable to give variables meaningful
names, even in loops (which each is). I suggest, given the context,
you change subarray to card.

>           if  subarray[2].downcase == "#{suit}"

You're passing in upper case values for suit below; maybe you want to
change downcase to upcase here.

>     occurrences_of_suit += 1
>     end
>   end
>

From here on, I'm really rather confused what you're trying to do 
here...

>
> check_for_flush ('Clubs' )

You defined two parameters for this method above; this should probably 
be

check_for_flush('Clubs', player1)
check_for_flush ('Spades', player1 )
check_for_flush ('Diamonds', player1 )
check_for_flush ('Hearts', player1 )

> # I would also like to create a parameter player so that I can load
> different arrays into the method.

You already did this:

> def check_for_flush(suit, player)

At some point, you may want to look into understanding functions
beyond .each. Map, select, collect, reduce/inject are pretty powerful
things and reduce code a lot. That said, it's important to get it
correct first, then refactor.

Okay, thank you for your help. I changed player1 to player but when i
run the code i get this error:

> test.rb:24: syntax error, unexpected ',', expecting ')'
> check_for_flush ('Clubs', player1)

On Wed, Feb 6, 2013 at 9:16 PM, Tom Stut <lists@ruby-forum.com> wrote:
> Okay, thank you for your help. I changed player1 to player but when i
> run the code i get this error:
>
>> test.rb:24: syntax error, unexpected ',', expecting ')'
>> check_for_flush ('Clubs', player1)

Do one of these:

a) remove the space(s) between check_for_flush and the opening paren:

check_for_flush('Clubs', player1)

b) remove the parens completely and leave the spacing as is

check_for_flush 'Clubs', player1