# Class of the calling Object, is there someway to fetch it (from the called method)?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [March 27, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842 "2010-03-27T02:15:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/1 "2010-03-27T02:15:39Z")

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Hi again,

SPECIFIC QUESTION:  
How can I fetch the Class name of the calling Object?  
(The module that contains the class of the calling Object might be  
useful/necessary in the future.)

NOTES:  
I checked the ‘caller’ stack and it doesn’t show up there. Searched  
this forum, googled, and it is was not found.

The calling Method was found right off.

A SNIPPIT FROM MY TEST CODE:  
(this might provide some clue to the general utility?)

class TestingClass

```
def initialize
    @wB = WhiteBoard.new
    @satz1 =
end

def calling_method1
    age = @wB.get_note(:AGE, 19)
    puts "defaulted age = " + age.to_s
    @wB.put_note(:test, 12)
    @wB.put_note(:test, 16) #just overwrites, handy?!
    age = @wB.get_note(:test)
    puts "age = " + age.to_s # => 16
end

def calling_method2
    @wB.set_id( :ALF )
    @wB.put_satz(:TestingClass, :calling_method2, @satz1)
    #put_satzAr(.... pushes the satz struct onto a automatic

```

stack

```
    #would become just
    #@wB.put_satz(@satz1)
    #....if I could fetch the Class
end

def calling_method3
    @wB.set_id( :ALF )
    satz = @wB.get_satz(:TestingClass, :calling_method2)
    puts "satz in calling_method3 = " + satz.inspect #(this

```

works)  
end

end

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/2 "2010-03-27T04:10:57Z")

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On Mar 26, 9:45 pm, Ryan D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> This is not a test (nor is any of the rest of your file).
> 
> Also, it hints very much that you’re reimplementing rinda, as I’ve suspected for a while. Google for Linda TupleSpace for more info.

1. I don’t know from “tuples” - all I “need” are hashes. Somebody  
also mentioned Graphs. I’m happy with my set of conventions and these  
hashes for my purposes.

2. I looked at Rinda and didn’t understand it.

3. Anything that works for me in 60 lines and I have complete control  
over is not something I am personally interested in replacing with  
something I don’t understand or see a need to.

4. Any thing I write that “tests” is a “test” to my simple logic. I’m  
spending a great deal of time implementing self-tests and all such and  
have written and supervised some pretty big projects in other  
languages. I’m in awe of what Ruby can do but I don’t really think  
you guys, as awesome as you all are, have any place telling that I’m  
not testing. Save that for the rookies. Or maybe you have redefined  
what “testing” means. As an old QC guy, i’d have to wonder if you can  
do that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/3 "2010-03-27T03:46:22Z")

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On Mar 26, 2010, at 18:15 , thunk wrote:

> def calling\_method1  
> age = @wB.get\_note(:AGE, 19)  
> puts "defaulted age = " + age.to\_s  
> @wB.put\_note(:test, 12)  
> @wB.put\_note(:test, 16) #just overwrites, handy?!  
> age = @wB.get\_note(:test)  
> puts "age = " + age.to\_s # =\> 16  
> end

This is not a test (nor is any of the rest of your file).

Also, it hints very much that you’re reimplementing rinda, as I’ve  
suspected for a while. Google for Linda TupleSpace for more info.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/4 "2010-03-27T04:40:48Z")

</div>

On Mar 26, 10:07 pm, thunk [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> > > ```
> > > puts "age = " + age.to_s # => 16
> > > 
> > > ```
> 
> 1. I looked at Rinda and didn’t understand it.  
> not testing. Save that for the rookies. Or maybe you have redefined  
> what “testing” means. As an old QC guy, i’d have to wonder if you can  
> do that.

Project perspective wise this “WhiteBoard” thing is a very small part  
of a much larger project. It looks like it can have a role in storing  
and retrieving “communications” between DSLs that are handling the  
“Boids” and between HelperClasses and the end resulting  
“WorkSheets” (back into technish). Line of code wise this is maybe  
80/4000 if you don’t count the Boids (another 4,000 and growing  
rapidly).

…just for some perspective.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 9:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/5 "2010-03-27T09:16:25Z")

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OK!

SUMMARY  
I have been to the mountain top and gotten this from a Ruby Guru -  
there are two ways of getting at the class but one way is a hack, and  
not a pretty one, or even what appears to be a reliable one. And the  
2nd way, using binding, seems to require a param - which is what I was  
trying avoid.

RAMBLINGS  
Since I’ve become totally stuck on this “keyLess entry” for now, at  
least to play with for awhile, I have decided to do something a little  
strange - I’m going to require that all the method names in all the  
involved sending libraries are unique - a non-unique new method will  
just need a tweak and the whole system can work on the method name  
alone as the key. A nice friendly message will come up and tell a  
contributing writer that his carefully thought out name needs to get  
tweaked - or I could append a tie breaker to it - and just give it to  
him.

LINK TO A GIST - It might have some use for somebody with enough  
changes, it sure has been interesting to play with.

```
http://gist.github.com/345646
```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/6 "2010-03-27T11:45:37Z")

</div>

On Mar 27, 4:14 am, Ryan D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 10:15am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/7 "2010-03-27T10:15:30Z")

</div>

On Mar 26, 2010, at 20:10 , thunk wrote:

> 1. I don’t know from “tuples” - all I “need” are hashes. Somebody  
> also mentioned Graphs. I’m happy with my set of conventions and these  
> hashes for my purposes.

> 1. I looked at Rinda and didn’t understand it.

> … and the rest

DTM

you flipped the bozo bit.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/8 "2010-03-27T12:55:52Z")

</div>

Ryan,

I’m a “step-wise-refinement” guy. it worked for me for many years, and  
I think I can make a good case for it against any other kind of  
development, when and where it can be used. There’s more to it than  
one might think, it is a way to follow one’s instincts and work to  
strengths and let the code show you where to go next.

Some folks will understand that, some won’t. If you don’t, I suspect  
you are missing some of the real joy of programming.

Or maybe you think it is all science?

Thunk

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@thunk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/thunk)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 12:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/class-of-the-calling-object-is-there-someway-to-fetch-it-from-the-called-method/185842/9 "2010-03-27T12:05:31Z")

</div>

On Mar 27, 4:14 am, Ryan D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> you flipped the bozo bit.  
> Are you really trying to tell me I “need” a tuples Gem with no (found)  
> documentation, to replace my 80 line class that does what I need?

You can tell me that rather than use something I’m comfortable, wrote  
100% myself, I should use a Gem from folks I don’t know, with overhead  
I don’t know, with quality issues I have no way to estimate, and  
support I can only guess at, to do something I haven’t a clue why I  
would need?

My first app generated apps as a R&D manager for McGraw-Hill back in  
1984. Since then my apps have done what I designed them to do, and I  
have never failed to finish a project I started. I have delivered,  
documented, and supported FIVE large scale commercial projects, how  
many have you?

(They happened to have been in the field of STATISTICAL PROCESS  
CONTROL - we trained folks at HP, John Deere, Mercury Marine and other  
corps on how to use this software. My reseller were the two largest  
precision tool manufacturers in the World - Mitutoyo and Brown &  
Sharpe.)

So do you really think you invented Testing and have a patient on it  
or something?

Thunk