# Rails + require returns \[\]?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-require-returns/114020>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [September 7, 2007, 5:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-require-returns/114020 "2007-09-07T05:24:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![derailed](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@derailed](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/derailed)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 5:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-require-returns/114020/1 "2007-09-07T05:24:48Z")

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All,

I have a rails controller that is requiring a ruby file

ie

res = require ‘blee’  
p res.inspect # \<= [] ??

class FredController \< ApplicationController  
…  
end

Printing the return value of the require, I was expecting to see  
true or false whether  
the required ruby file was previously loaded or not. Instead it  
seems to always return an array.

On the first load an array with the module name for blee and on  
reload an empty array…

As anyone experienced this before ?

Thanks !!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![derailed](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@derailed](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/derailed)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 7:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-require-returns/114020/2 "2007-09-07T07:42:44Z")

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Why accept true or false from required file :S

Just call a function from required file which return true or false, this  
is better solution 🙂