# Fattr-1.0.2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [March 8, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/fattr-1-0-2/131327 "2008-03-08T05:09:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ara_howard)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/fattr-1-0-2/131327/1 "2008-03-08T05:09:33Z")
NAME fattr.rb INSTALL gem install fattrs URIS [http://codeforpeople.com/lib/ruby](http://codeforpeople.com/lib/ruby) [http://rubyforge.org/projects/codeforpeople/](http://rubyforge.org/projects/codeforpeople/) [http://codeforpeople.rubyforge.org/svn/](http://codeforpeople.rubyforge.org/svn/) SYNOPSIS fattr.rb is a “fatter attr” for ruby. fattr.rb supercedes attributes.rb as that library, even though it added only one method to the global namespace, collided too frequently with user code - in particular rails’ code. the implementation of fattr.rb borrows many of the best ideas from the metakoans.rb ruby quiz ``` http://www.rubyquiz.com/quiz67.html ``` in particular the solutions of Christian N. and Florian Gross along with concepts from the original traits.rb lib key features provided by fattrs are ``` - ability to specify default values for attrs and definition ``` time. values can be literal objects or blocks, which are evaluated in the context of self to initialize the variable ``` - classes remember which fattrs they've defined and this ``` information is available to client code ``` - a whole suite of methods is defined by calls to #fattrs including getter, setter, query (var?) and banger (var! - which forces re-initialization from the default value/block) - ability to define multiple fattrs at once using key => value ``` pairs ``` - fast lookup of whether or not a class has defined a certain fattr - fattrs can be defined on objects on a per singleton basis - getters acts as setters if an argument is given to them - block caching, calling an fattr with a block sets the instance variable to that block - shortcuts for adding class/module level fattrs ``` all this in \< 100 lines of code HISTORY 1.0.2: added Fattr shortcut for adding class/module level fattrs ``` class C Fattr 'children' => [] def C.inherited other (children << other).uniq! super end end class B < C end p C.children #=> B ``` 1.0.0: port from attributes.rb retaining all the same features of that version of attributes.rb SAMPLES \<========\< samples/a.rb \>========\> ~ \> cat samples/a.rb ``` # # basic usage is like attr, but note that fattr defines a suite ``` of methods # require ‘fattr’ ``` class C fattr 'a' end c = C.new c.a = 42 p c.a #=> 42 p 'forty-two' if c.a? #=> 'forty-two' # # fattrs works on object too # o = Object.new o.fattr 'answer' => 42 p o.answer #=> 42 ``` ~ \> ruby samples/a.rb ``` 42 "forty-two" 42 ``` \<========\< samples/b.rb \>========\> ~ \> cat samples/b.rb ``` # # default values may be given either directly or as a block which ``` will be # evaluated in the context of self. in both cases (value or block) the # default is set only once and only if needed - it’s a lazy evaluation. the # ‘banger’ method can be used to re-initialize a variable at any point whether # or not it’s already been initialized. # require ‘fattr’ ``` class C fattr :a => 42 fattr(:b){ Float a } end c = C.new p c.a #=> 42 p c.b #=> 42.0 c.a = 43 p c.a #=> 43 c.a! p c.a #=> 42 ``` ~ \> ruby samples/b.rb ``` 42 42.0 43 42 ``` \<========\< samples/c.rb \>========\> ~ \> cat samples/c.rb ``` # # multiple values may by given, plain names and key/val pairs may ``` be mixed. # require ‘fattr’ ``` class C fattrs 'x', 'y' => 0b101000, 'z' => 0b10 end c = C.new c.x = c.y + c.z p c.x #=> 42 ``` ~ \> ruby samples/c.rb ``` 42 ``` \<========\< samples/d.rb \>========\> ~ \> cat samples/d.rb ``` # # a nice feature is that all fattrs are enumerated in the class. ``` this, # combined with the fact that the getter method is defined so as to delegate # to the setter when an argument is given, means bulk initialization and/or # fattr traversal is very easy. # require ‘fattr’ ``` class C fattrs %w( x y z ) def fattrs self.class.fattrs end def initialize fattrs.each_with_index{|a,i| send a, i} end def to_hash fattrs.inject({}){|h,a| h.update a => send(a)} end def inspect to_hash.inspect end end c = C.new p c.fattrs p c c.x 'forty-two' p c.x ``` ~ \> ruby samples/d.rb ``` ["x", "y", "z"] {"x"=>0, "y"=>1, "z"=>2} "forty-two" ``` \<========\< samples/e.rb \>========\> ~ \> cat samples/e.rb ``` # # my favourite element of fattrs is that getters can also be ``` setters. # this allows incredibly clean looking code like # require ‘fattr’ ``` class Config fattrs %w( host port) def initialize(&block) instance_eval &block end end conf = Config.new{ host 'codeforpeople.org' port 80 } p conf ``` ~ \> ruby samples/e.rb ``` # ``` \<========\< samples/f.rb \>========\> ~ \> cat samples/f.rb ``` # # of course fattrs works as well at class/module level as at ``` instance # level # require ‘fattr’ ``` module Logging Level_names = { 0 => 'INFO', # ... 42 => 'DEBUG', } class << self fattr 'level' => 42 fattr('level_name'){ Level_names[level] } end end p Logging.level p Logging.level_name ``` ~ \> ruby samples/f.rb ``` 42 "DEBUG" ``` \<========\< samples/g.rb \>========\> ~ \> cat samples/g.rb ``` # # you can add class/module fattrs the 'normal' way or using the ``` provided # shortcut method # require ‘fattr’ ``` class C class << self fattr 'a' => 4 end Fattr 'b' => 2 end p [C.a, C.b].join ``` ~ \> ruby samples/g.rb ``` "42" ``` enjoy! a @ [http://codeforpeople.com/](http://codeforpeople.com/) ---
**Author:** ![ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ara_howard)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 5:19am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/fattr-1-0-2/131327/2 "2008-03-08T05:19:30Z")
On Mar 7, 9:08 pm, ara howard [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > the > - ability to specify default values for attrs and definition > getter, setter, query (var?) and banger (var! - which forces > > ``` > - block caching, calling an fattr with a block sets the instance > variable to that block > > - shortcuts for adding class/module level fattrs > > ``` Interesting. What about data types? class C fattr ‘a’ =\> Integer end c = C.new c.a = 42 # ok c.a = ‘hello’ # TypeError You may have this, but I didn’t see it in the samples or readme (but very well may have missed it). Regards, Dan ---
**Author:** ![ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ara_howard)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 6:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/fattr-1-0-2/131327/3 "2008-03-08T06:57:18Z")
On Mar 7, 2008, at 9:18 PM, Daniel B. wrote: > You may have this, but I didn’t see it in the samples or readme (but > very well may have missed it). it is _far_ more heavyweight, but see [http://codeforpeople.com/lib/ruby/traits/traits-0.9.2/README](http://codeforpeople.com/lib/ruby/traits/traits-0.9.2/README) it also supports aspects, validation, and a ton of other stuff cheers. a @ [http://codeforpeople.com/](http://codeforpeople.com/) ---
**Author:** ![ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ara_howard)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:14am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/fattr-1-0-2/131327/4 "2008-03-08T07:14:17Z")
From: ara howard [[mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)] # it is _far_ more heavyweight, but see if it isn’t slow, i’d prefer it over fattr any time. mixing the two seems to make my head shake a little 🙂 in fact, i would have even alias fattr to traits :)) thanks for traits, btw. it is cool kind regards -botp ---
**Author:** ![ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ara_howard)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:38am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/fattr-1-0-2/131327/5 "2008-03-08T07:38:17Z")
On Mar 7, 2008, at 11:13 PM, Peña, Botp wrote: > # it is _far_ more heavyweight, but see > > if it isn’t slow, i’d prefer it over fattr any time. mixing the two > seems to make my head shake a little 🙂 in fact, i would have even > alias fattr to traits :)) > > thanks for traits, btw. it is cool heh - yeah traits is powerful and robust, but the code makes _my_ head spin. i’d like to rewrite in the style of fattr - but supporting all the same features - not time attm tho… cheers. a @ [http://drawohara.com/](http://drawohara.com/) ---
**Author:** ![ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@ara\_howard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ara_howard)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/fattr-1-0-2/131327/6 "2008-03-09T00:19:01Z")
You might also be interested in doodle ([http://doodle.rubyforge.org](http://doodle.rubyforge.org)) which I’ve just released. $ xmpfilter examples/foo.rb require ‘rubygems’ require ‘doodle’ class Foo \< Doodle::Base has :name, :kind =\> String end foo = Foo “Bar” foo # =\> #\ baz = Foo 1 # ~\> -:10: name must be String - got Fixnum(1) (Doodle::ValidationError) Regards, Sean