Hi
I stumbled upon a problem with ‘instance_eval’ (using ruby 1.8.5 on
linux-x86_64). Simplified code example:
irb:01> S = Struct.new(:a)
=> S
irb:02> s = S.new(1)
=> #
irb:03> s.a
=> 1
irb:04> s.a = 2
=> 2
irb:05> s
=> #
irb:06> s.instance_eval { puts a }
2
=> nil
irb:07> s.instance_eval { a = 3 }
=> 3
irb:08> s
=> #
irb:09> s.instance_eval { self.a = 3 }
=> 3
irb:10> s
=> #
My problem is in line 07: it seems that the ‘a’ in the block is treated
as a
local variable, therefore all the writer-accessor methods (‘a=’) are
hidden
within the block. I get the same result when instance_eval-ing the
string “a = 3” instead of the block variant.
Is there a way to avoid this behaviour without using ‘self.a’ or passing
the
struct as a parameter into the block (which quite obsoletes the meaning
of
instance_eval)?
My real world use of this pattern is using a block with ‘initialize()’:
class C
def initialize(&blk)
@format = Struct.new( … many, many elements with default values
…)
@format.instance_eval(&blk)
end
end
To explicitly override some default format-values I want to use
c = C.new { elem8 = 8; elem17 = ‘test’; … }
This won’t work as explained above. I know I can use
c = C.new {|format| format.elem8 = 8; format.elem17 = ‘test’; … }
or
c = C.new { self.elem8 = 8; self.elem17 = ‘test’; … }
but both seem somewhat redundant and need too much typing (yeah I know
I’m
lazy ;-).
Thanks for any suggestions.
-Thomas
Hi~
On Aug 23, 2007, at 4:40 PM, Thomas Gantner wrote:
=> 1
=> #
string “a = 3” instead of the block variant.
class C
lazy ;-).
Thanks for any suggestions.
-Thomas
–
<sig. under construction>
No unfortunately you are stuck with the behavior you observed.
Whenever ruby sees ‘a = b’ it assumes it is a local variable
assignment. This happens at parse time so there is no way to affect
it at runtime. It’s a tradeoff in order to allow local variables to
look like method calls and visca versca. So you have to prefix an
assignment with self. or another object, otherwise it is a local
variable assignment and you cannot work around it since it happens at
parse time.
Cheers-
– Ezra Z.-- Founder & Ruby Hacker
– [email protected]
– Engine Y., Serious Rails Hosting
– (866) 518-YARD (9273)
Hi,
At Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:40:08 +0900,
Thomas Gantner wrote in [ruby-talk:266021]:
Is there a way to avoid this behaviour without using ‘self.a’ or passing the
struct as a parameter into the block (which quite obsoletes the meaning of
instance_eval)?
Nothing. It’s one of reasons why using instance_eval for such
purpose is not a good idea.
on Fri 24. August 2007 03.30, Nobuyoshi N. wrote:
Thanks for your quick answer (also to Ezra).
I found a solution by defining setter-methods for every struct member:
class C
def initialize(&blk)
@format = Struct.new( … many, many elements …) do
members.each do |key|
self.send(:define_method, “set_#{key}”.to_sym) do |new_value|
self[key] = new_value
end
end
end
@format.instance_eval(&blk) if block_given?
end
end
Then I can use:
c = C.new { set_elem8(8); set_elem17(‘test’); … }
Quite readable, but not many keystrokes saved. Is there a better
alternative? I understand you suggest something without instance_eval()?
-Thomas