File::write() complement for File::read()?

Ruby
1

Hello,

Why is there not a complementary File::write() method to the
File::read() method? It feels unbalanced to always write the following
code whereas it’s so much easier to read a file:

File.open(path, ‘wb’) {|f| f << content }

I would like to see this method in the core Ruby API, just as the
Symbol#to_proc() facets method has travelled into the core Ruby API.

Thanks for your consideration.

2

Allow me to rephrase my question:

It is currently easier to read whole files (via File::read) than to
write whole files (via File::open and passing in a block). This
imbalance can be corrected by adding a File::write method, such as the
following, to the core Ruby API.

def File.write path, data
File.open(path, ‘wb’) {|f| f << data.to_s }
end

Are there any plans to do this? If not, where can I file a request for
such a change?

Thanks for your consideration.

3

On Jan 31, 2009, at 3:16 AM, Suraj K. wrote:

Are there any plans to do this? If not, where can I file a request
for
such a change?

Thanks for your consideration.

$ fri File#write
--------------------------------------------------------------- IO#write
ios.write(string) => integer

  Writes the given string to ios. The stream must be opened for
  writing. If the argument is not a string, it will be converted to
  a string using to_s. Returns the number of bytes written.

     count = $stdout.write( "This is a test\n" )
     puts "That was #{count} bytes of data"

  produces:

     This is a test
     That was 15 bytes of data

It’s already there. Do you ever just try these things? This method
is an instance method.

Your method would be incomplete without a mode. Do you want ‘w’, ‘a’,
‘wb’, etc.?

def your_write(path, data, mode=‘wb’)
File.open(path, mode) {|f| f.write data }
end

I don’t know why you call #to_s on data if you open ‘wb’. (IO#write
does that for you if what you pass isn’t a String.)

-Rob

Rob B. http://agileconsultingllc.com
[email protected]
+1 513-295-4739
Skype: rob.biedenharn

4

Rob B. wrote:

$ fri File#write
[…]
It’s already there. This method is an instance method.

I asked for a class method File::write (just like File::read) not an
instance method File#write.

Your method would be incomplete without a mode. Do you want ‘w’, ‘a’,
‘wb’, etc.?

def your_write(path, data, mode=‘wb’)
File.open(path, mode) {|f| f.write data }
end

Good point.

I don’t know why you call #to_s on data if you open ‘wb’. (IO#write
does that for you if what you pass isn’t a String.)

Thanks for the tip.

5

Suraj K. wrote:

where can I file a request for such a change?

I filed this feature request on Ruby Issue Tracking System:

http://redmine.ruby-lang.org/issues/show/1081