# Already stalled in Pick Axe book - could use some help **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [September 3, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395 "2006-09-03T18:15:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/1 "2006-09-03T18:15:54Z")
Hi, total noob here. I’m only on page 25 of the Pick Axe book and I’m a little stuck: I’m running Ruby version 1.8.4 on Windows XP Home Edition. I’m entering code via irb. Here’s the problem: I enter the following code from the book: class Song def initialize(name, artist, duration) @name = name @artist = artist @duration = duration end def to\_s “Song: #@name–#@artist (#@duration)” end end I successfully load the code using a file called song.rb here: irb(main):008:0\> load “c:/code/song.rb” =\> true Now the book states that if I type in this: song = Song.new(“Bicylops”, “Fleck”, 260) song.to\_s I should see this: “Song: BicylopsFleck(260)” But I’m not, I’m getting this: irb(main):013:0\> song = Song.new(“Bicylops”, “Fleck”, 260) =\> #\ irb(main):014:0\> song.to\_s =\> “#Song:0x2c80440” Obviously I’m still seeing the object ID when I should be seeing the string. Any help will be appreciated. Regards, Jeff ---
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/2 "2006-09-03T18:59:52Z")
Jeff Rohrer wrote: > Hi, total noob here. I’m only on page 25 of the Pick Axe book and I’m a > little stuck: > > I’m running Ruby version 1.8.4 on Windows XP Home Edition. I’m entering > code via irb. > > Here’s the problem: I enter the following code from the book: > > irb(main):008:0\> load “c:/code/song.rb” > =\> true Your code seems to be fine–however, you mention using irb but also, obviously, #load a file here. If the file contains the old code and you #load it after you have entered the new class code in irb, it will redefine your methods. Try and just enter the above class definition either in irb or the file (and #load it in irb), but not both and see if that helps. > > Regards, > Jeff ---
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/3 "2006-09-03T19:48:18Z")
> Try and just enter the above class definition either in > irb or the file (and #load it in irb), but not both and > see if that helps. > > > Got it. Thanks! That works, now I can move on: C:\>irb irb(main):001:0\> class Song irb(main):002:1\> def initialize(name, artist, duration) irb(main):003:2\> @name = name irb(main):004:2\> @artist = artist irb(main):005:2\> @duration = duration irb(main):006:2\> end irb(main):007:1\> def to\_s irb(main):008:2\> “Song: #@name–#@artist (#@duration)” irb(main):009:2\> end irb(main):011:0\> song = Song.new(“Bicyclops”, “Fleck”, 260) =\> #\ irb(main):012:0\> song.to\_s =\> “Song: Bicyclops–Fleck (260)” ---
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/4 "2006-09-04T14:43:53Z")
On 9/3/06, James B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > class Song > > irb(main):003:0\> song.to\_s > =\> “Song: Bicylops–Fleck (260)” > irb(main):004:0\> > > I think you may have something different in your actual source code. Exactly maybe the lines end # of initialize def to\_s are missing HTH Robert > – > James B. > > “Simplicity of the language is not what matters, but > simplicity of use.” > > - Richard A. O’Keefe in squeak-dev mailing list – Deux choses sont infinies : l’univers et la bêtise humaine ; en ce qui concerne l’univers, je n’en ai pas acquis la certitude absolue. - Albert Einstein ---
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/5 "2006-09-04T14:43:53Z")
Jeff Rohrer wrote: > ``` > @name = name > @artist = artist > @duration = duration > > ``` > > end > > def to\_s > “Song: #@name–#@artist (#@duration)” > end > end I just tried this on WinXP, ruby 1.8.4 (2005-12-24) [i386-mswin32] demo.rb has the code you provided. d:\tmp\>irb irb(main):001:0\> load ‘demo.rb’ =\> true irb(main):002:0\> song = Song.new(“Bicylops”, “Fleck”, 260) =\> #\ irb(main):003:0\> song.to\_s =\> “Song: Bicylops–Fleck (260)” irb(main):004:0\> I think you may have something different in your actual source code. – James B. “Simplicity of the language is not what matters, but simplicity of use.” - Richard A. O’Keefe in squeak-dev mailing list ---
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/6 "2006-09-04T14:44:06Z")
Jeff Rohrer wrote: > irb(main):002:1\> def initialize(name, artist, duration) > =\> “Song: Bicyclops–Fleck (260)” > It may be time for you to create a Ruby source file. “irb” is a very > useful > tool, but once a program becomes as complex as the one you are playing > with, you have more than crossed the threshold of needing a source file. ---
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/7 "2006-09-04T14:44:18Z")
Jeff Rohrer wrote: > Hi, total noob here. I’m only on page 25 of the Pick Axe book and I’m a > little stuck: > …snip > def to\_s > “Song: #@name–#@artist (#@duration)” > … > You forgot the curly braces, should be > “Song: #{@name}–#{@artist} (#{@duration})” Cheers ---
**Author:** ![wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wirelesspower](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wirelesspower)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/already-stalled-in-pick-axe-book-could-use-some-help/67395/8 "2006-09-04T16:55:40Z")
ChrisH wrote: > Jeff Rohrer wrote: > > > def to\_s > > “Song: #@name–#@artist (#@duration)” > > … > > You forgot the curly braces, should be > > “Song: #{@name}–#{@artist} (#{@duration})” The curly braces are not needed for class, instance, or global variables. (And maybe some other situations I don’t know about.) Jeff’s original code is just fine.