# False

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/false/110098>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [July 23, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/false/110098 "2007-07-23T03:27:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mtnbiker)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/false/110098/1 "2007-07-23T03:27:47Z")

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I guess I don’t understand the concept of false. I wanted to set flag in  
my script manually. At first I

flag = true

and all was well. later I ran a test  
if flag

But when I set the flag to false (flag=false), the script doesn’t work  
correctly. If test before the “if flag” don’t evaluate correctly.

Work around is easy enough, just use a string or number for the  
variable.

But I think I’m missing something fundamental here. As you may have  
already guessed, I don’t have a programming background.

Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mtnbiker)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/false/110098/2 "2007-07-23T03:32:03Z")

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I think something else is going on. Even if I use a string, the script  
doesn’t work with my equivalent of false. I need to recheck the logic.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mtnbiker)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/false/110098/3 "2007-07-26T00:46:20Z")

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12 34 wrote:

> I think something else is going on. Even if I use a string, the script  
> doesn’t work with my equivalent of false. I need to recheck the logic.

What’s your code?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mtnbiker)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 12:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/false/110098/4 "2007-07-26T00:45:59Z")

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False and if are probably as simple as you think they are…

irb(main):001:0\> foo = false  
=\> false  
irb(main):002:0\> if foo; puts “I’m foo!”; end  
=\> nil  
irb(main):003:0\> foo = true  
=\> true  
irb(main):004:0\> if foo; puts “I’m foo!”; end  
I’m foo!  
=\> nil  
irb(main):005:0\>

Chances are you’re doing something else wrong… What does, “The  
script  
doesn’t work correctly” mean? Is an exception thrown, are you getting  
incorrect results?

Code samples are also helpful.

MBL

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mtnbiker](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mtnbiker)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/false/110098/5 "2007-07-26T02:28:06Z")

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Cliff R. wrote:

> 12 34 wrote:
> 
> > I think something else is going on. Even if I use a string, the script  
> > doesn’t work with my equivalent of false. I need to recheck the logic.
> 
> What’s your code?

What had happened was that things that were supposed to happen in the  
script weren’t because my memory card was off line. (The first responded  
didn’t see my CORRECTION, and he was correct in assuming something else  
was wrong). Being new to Ruby I was surprised that the missing card  
(which needed to be read) didn’t cause an error. After the first posting  
I simplified the problem and realized it wasn’t the false that was  
causing the problem. Later I sorted out what was really going on.

Thanks for responding.