# Naming ruby class attribute and methods **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [March 14, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/naming-ruby-class-attribute-and-methods/131887 "2008-03-14T04:20:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dsoftware)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/naming-ruby-class-attribute-and-methods/131887/1 "2008-03-14T04:20:46Z")
Hello, Is there a way to name all the methods and attributes/ class instantiated variables that have been created? For example, from the class below, I would like to get all the variables instantiated from the initialize and example methods, and then I would also like to be able to get the method names. #pseudo code, not sure if it really runs class Foo def initialize() @thestring = ‘’ @haha = “HA HA HAA!” @var = “I am a variable” end def example(arg) @arg = arg @thestring = “#{@haha} #{@var}: #{arg}” end def thestring @thestring end end So is there a way to extract [“thestring”, “var”, “haha”, “arg”] for the variable names and then [“initialize”, “example”, “thestring”] for the method names. I can see how I would do it with regular expressions and ruby2ruby, but I was wondering if there was another way of extracting the information. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dsoftware)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/naming-ruby-class-attribute-and-methods/131887/2 "2008-03-14T04:28:23Z")
Hi – On Fri, 14 Mar 2008, Demonic S. wrote: > class Foo > @thestring > end > end > > So is there a way to extract [“thestring”, “var”, “haha”, “arg”] for the > variable names and then [“initialize”, “example”, “thestring”] for the > method names. I can see how I would do it with regular expressions and > ruby2ruby, but I was wondering if there was another way of extracting the > information. Thanks in advance. You can get method and instance variable names. An “attribute” is really a kind of virtual construct, composed of methods and (usually) instance variables, so it doesn’t appear as a separate thing when you do introspective stuff on the object. The main time “attribute” exists is when you create them; after that, they’re just methods (though one is of course free to continue to call them attributes). Foo.instance\_methods(false) will give you all the instance methods defined in Foo. (The rather cryptic “false” means: don’t include methods created higher in the ancestry.) To get the instance variables you have to instantiate the class, run the methods that create them, and then call the #instance\_variables method. (Just defining methods with i. vars inside them doesn’t create the i. vars.) David ---
**Author:** ![dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dsoftware)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/naming-ruby-class-attribute-and-methods/131887/3 "2008-03-14T04:40:43Z")
Thanks David. Is there any way to get the methods on an object that is already instantiated? Thanks again ---
**Author:** ![dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dsoftware)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/naming-ruby-class-attribute-and-methods/131887/4 "2008-03-14T04:44:49Z")
Hi – On Fri, 14 Mar 2008, Demonic S. wrote: > Thanks David. > Is there any way to get the methods on an object that is already > instantiated? Yes: object.methods David ---
**Author:** ![dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dsoftware)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/naming-ruby-class-attribute-and-methods/131887/5 "2008-03-14T05:24:41Z")
On Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 10:39 PM, Demonic S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > Hi – > > > > > names. > > > @arg = arg > > > method names. I can see how I would do it with regular expressions and > > > > – > > Upcoming Rails training from David A. Black and Ruby Power and Light: > > ADVANCING WITH RAILS, April 14-17 2008, New York City > > CORE RAILS, June 24-27 2008, London (Skills Matter) > > See [http://www.rubypal.com](http://www.rubypal.com) for details. Berlin dates coming soon! f = Foo.new f.public\_methods(false) … works for the instance f Todd ---
**Author:** ![dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@dsoftware](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dsoftware)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/naming-ruby-class-attribute-and-methods/131887/6 "2008-03-14T17:47:22Z")
On Mar 13, 11:27 pm, “David A. Black” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > example methods, and then I would also like to be able to get the method > > @arg = arg > > ruby2ruby, but I was wondering if there was another way of extracting the > > defined in Foo. (The rather cryptic “false” means: don’t include > > methods created higher in the ancestry.) To get the instance variables > > you have to instantiate the class, run the methods that create them, > > and then call the #instance\_variables method. (Just defining methods > > with i. vars inside them doesn’t create the i. vars.) Kind of funny. I was just thinking about this before I sat down and read this thread. Ruby’s use of the term “attribute” is rather a misnomer. I would think it much better if “attributes” referred to instance variables. Those are the things that give state to objects. Attributes on the other hand would be better off referred to as “accessors”. T.