# "puts"ing an array **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [June 9, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843 "2009-06-09T14:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843/1 "2009-06-09T14:52:38Z")
Hi, In the “pickaxe” book I see how to use a “puts” to populate a file with data. I try the same thing, and, it works, but, it’s listing the data as an array. How can I get separate lines for each item in the array? Thanks, Peter In the book: File.open(“output.txt”, “w”) do |file| file.puts “Hello” file.puts “1 + 2 = #{1+2}” end # Now read the file in and print its contents to STDOUT puts File.read(“output.txt”) produces: Hello 1 + 2 = 3 My script: Dir.chdir(“L:/png/69000”) files = Dir.glob("\*.png") File.open(“F:/workflows/graphics/receipts/pngfiles.txt”, “w”) do |file| file.puts “#{files}” end produces: 69116.png69251.png69391.pngAZ69080.pngAZ69982.pngcx69362.pngcx69363.png . . . ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843/2 "2009-06-09T15:32:03Z")
On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 2:52 PM, Peter B.[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > file.puts “1 + 2 = #{1+2}” > File.open(“F:/workflows/graphics/receipts/pngfiles.txt”, “w”) do |file| > file.puts “#{files}” > end > produces: > 69116.png69251.png69391.pngAZ69080.pngAZ69982.pngcx69362.pngcx69363.png Dir.glob returns an array, so two possibilities are (untested): File.open(“F:/workflows/graphics/receipts/pngfiles.txt”, “w”) do |file| file.puts files.join(“\n”) end File.open(“F:/workflows/graphics/receipts/pngfiles.txt”, “w”) do |file| files.each {|f| file.puts f } end Hope this helps, Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843/3 "2009-06-09T15:48:30Z")
On Jun 9, 2009, at 8:52 AM, Peter B. wrote: > File.open(“output.txt”, “w”) do |file| > Dir.chdir(“L:/png/69000”) > files = Dir.glob(“\*.png”) > Dir.glob returns an Array > > File.open(“F:/workflows/graphics/receipts/pngfiles.txt”, “w”) do | > file| > file.puts “#{files}” > end > The default Array#to\_s is like Array#join(‘’). You probably want to > do either: > file.puts files.join(“\n”) > or iterate on the files: > files.each do |pngfilename| > file.puts pngfilename > end > > produces: > 69116 > .png69251.png69391.pngAZ69080.pngAZ69982.pngcx69362.pngcx69363.png > . . . -Rob Rob B. [http://agileconsultingllc.com](http://agileconsultingllc.com) removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843/4 "2009-06-09T16:08:27Z")
2009/6/9 Rob B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > > File.open(“output.txt”, “w”) do |file| > > Dir.chdir(“L:/png/69000”) > > file.puts files.join(“\n”) > > or iterate on the files: > > files.each do |pngfilename| > > file.puts pngfilename > > end It’s even simpler: file.puts files Kind regards robert ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843/5 "2009-06-09T16:39:55Z")
Robert K. wrote: > 2009/6/9 Rob B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > > > > File.open(“output.txt”, “w”) do |file| > > > Dir.chdir(“L:/png/69000”) > > > �file.puts files.join(“\n”) > > > or iterate on the files: > > > �files.each do |pngfilename| > > > � �file.puts pngfilename > > > �end > > It’s even simpler: > > file.puts files > > Kind regards > > robert Wow. Sometimes Ruby is too beautifully simple. Thanks, Robert. Peter ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843/6 "2009-06-09T16:47:59Z")
> Sometimes Ruby is too beautifully simple. It inspired my general rule that if something is not looking beautiful - or if it looks downright ugly - there must be a better way. ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/puts-ing-an-array/169843/7 "2009-06-09T15:50:01Z")
Rob B. wrote: > On Jun 9, 2009, at 8:52 AM, Peter B. wrote: > > > File.open(“output.txt”, “w”) do |file| > > Dir.chdir(“L:/png/69000”) > > files = Dir.glob(“\*.png”) > > Dir.glob returns an Array > > > > File.open(“F:/workflows/graphics/receipts/pngfiles.txt”, “w”) do | > > file| > > file.puts “#{files}” > > end > > The default Array#to\_s is like Array#join(‘’). You probably want to > > do either: > > file.puts files.join(“\n”) > > or iterate on the files: > > files.each do |pngfilename| > > file.puts pngfilename > > end > > > > produces: > > 69116 > > .png69251.png69391.pngAZ69080.pngAZ69982.pngcx69362.pngcx69363.png > > . . . > > -Rob > > Rob B. [http://agileconsultingllc.com](http://agileconsultingllc.com) > removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid Thank you very much, gentlemen. Yes, I did actually figure it out by simply making two loops, one for the file and one for the png files inside it. Cheers, Peter