# Mixins and initialize/initialize\_copy **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [April 4, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mixins-and-initialize-initialize-copy/93536 "2006-04-04T15:26:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mixins-and-initialize-initialize-copy/93536/1 "2006-04-04T15:26:39Z")
Hello, I have created a mixin module that overwrites initialize and initialize\_copy. This works fine until a class that uses the mixin wants to overwrite initialize and/or initialize\_copy, too. I can replace initialize with lazy accessors. But I don’t know how to handle initialize\_copy: The mixin manages some attributes and the initialize\_copy method makes sure that cloning the object clones the managed attributes. What would be the best solution to this problem? Regards, Rüdiger Sonderfeld [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mixins-and-initialize-initialize-copy/93536/2 "2006-04-04T17:14:09Z")
Anyone who does this kind of thing should always check to see if the method is already defined and if it is wrap it --NEVER just overwrite these instrumental methods. T. ---
**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mixins-and-initialize-initialize-copy/93536/3 "2006-04-04T21:38:43Z")
Rüdiger Sonderfeld wrote: > What would be the best solution to this problem? Calling super from the instance methods of your class?