# Method arguments **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [August 10, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079 "2006-08-10T13:19:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/1 "2006-08-10T13:19:13Z")
Is there a way to refer to the arguments passed to a function, so I can avoid re-stating the argument inside it like the example below? puts “this is a test”[4…“this is a test”.length] ---
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/2 "2006-08-10T14:52:16Z")
Sard A. wrote: > Is there a way to refer to the arguments passed to a function, so I can > avoid re-stating the argument inside it like the example below? > > puts “this is a test”[4…“this is a test”.length] In your particular case, it can be restated as: puts “this is a test”[4…-1] Where the -1 refers to the end of the string. In general, if you have a long expression you wish to refer to twice, you can (1) make a local variable: s = “this is a test” puts s[4…s.length] or (2) make a method def s “this is a test” end # … puts s[4…s.length] I’m not sure how your example relates to function arguments … but is this helpfull? – Jim W. ---
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/3 "2006-08-10T20:33:11Z")
Jim W. wrote: > In your particular case, it can be restated as: > > puts “this is a test”[4…-1] > > Where the -1 refers to the end of the string. > > I’m not sure how your example relates to function arguments … but is > this helpfull? > > – Jim W. Ah yes, -1 is the most obvious way of to get the end reference. I was just wondering if there was some sort of reflective way of getting a reference to the “this is a test” string from with the [] method. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/4 "2006-08-10T21:16:29Z")
Sard A. wrote: > Jim W. wrote: > > > In your particular case, it can be restated as: > > > > puts “this is a test”[4…-1] > > > > Where the -1 refers to the end of the string. > > > > I’m not sure how your example relates to function arguments … but is > > this helpfull? > > > > – Jim W. > > Ah yes, -1 is the most obvious way of to get the end reference. > > I was just wondering if there was some sort of reflective way of getting > a reference to the “this is a test” string from with the [] method. No, unless you create one. You could conceivably do this by some extremely evil use of method rerouting, local\_variables and such nefarities. Just using variable is your best option, though 🙂 > Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/5 "2006-08-15T14:12:46Z")
On 10/08/06, Sard A. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Is there a way to refer to the arguments passed to a function, so I can > avoid re-stating the argument inside it like the example below? > > puts “this is a test”[4…“this is a test”.length] In this case, it’s unnecessary: “this is a test”[4…-1] Paul ---
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/6 "2006-08-15T14:12:44Z")
On 10/08/06, Sard A. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Is there a way to refer to the arguments passed to a function, so I can > avoid re-stating the argument inside it like the example below? > > puts “this is a test”[4…“this is a test”.length] > > – > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). Is there a reason you can’t put it in a varialbe beforehand? string = “this is a test” puts string[4…string.length] Farrel ---
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/7 "2006-08-15T14:22:17Z")
But one general method of avoiding assignment or restatement is instance\_eval “this is a test”.instance\_eval {self[4…self.length]} ben ---
**Author:** ![sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@sard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sard)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/method-arguments/102079/8 "2006-08-15T14:14:47Z")
On 8/10/06, Sard A. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > – Jim W. > > Ah yes, -1 is the most obvious way of to get the end reference. > > I was just wondering if there was some sort of reflective way of getting > a reference to the “this is a test” string from with the [] method. Are you looking for something like this? class String def your\_method self[4…self.length] end end “this is a test”.your\_method =\> " is a test" Thanks. > – > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). Michael G.