# Dynamically naming an Object

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dynamically-naming-an-object/150495>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [October 9, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dynamically-naming-an-object/150495 "2008-10-09T04:26:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![softf5ajivanet](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@softf5ajivanet](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/softf5ajivanet)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dynamically-naming-an-object/150495/1 "2008-10-09T04:26:03Z")

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I’m new to ruby, so this may be simple, but I can not figure it out.  
Simply, I am wanting to dynamically create objects at runtime with a  
variable name also given at runtime.

for example -

keys = []

word = “”

while word != “end”  
word = (gets.chomp)  
word = word.downcase  
keys.push(word) unless word == “end”  
end

class Word  
end

keys.each { |new\_obj| new\_obj = Word.obj

[user input of win]

puts win.inspect

I know it may sound strange, but I am just playing. Any help would be  
greatly appreciated.

-M

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![softf5ajivanet](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@softf5ajivanet](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/softf5ajivanet)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 4:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dynamically-naming-an-object/150495/2 "2008-10-09T04:30:14Z")

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John G. wrote:

> keys.each { |new\_obj| new\_obj = Word.obj  
> keys.each { |new\_obj| new\_obj = Word.new  
> sorry about that, I’m a bit flustered.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![softf5ajivanet](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@softf5ajivanet](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/softf5ajivanet)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dynamically-naming-an-object/150495/3 "2008-10-09T09:41:27Z")

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2008/10/9 John G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

> while word != “end”  
> [user input of win]
> 
> puts win.inspect
> 
> I know it may sound strange, but I am just playing. Any help would be  
> greatly appreciated.

You did not state which objects you want to dynamically generate names  
for…

Regardless: generating local variable names does not work as you might  
expect because local variables which are not known at compile time of  
the script code cannot be used easily. Rather use a Hash which seems  
the more appropriate data structure in your case anyway.

Kind regards

robert