# Re: Truncate an array

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-truncate-an-array/100003>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [July 26, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-truncate-an-array/100003 "2006-07-26T16:48:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BergerS\_Daniel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@BergerS\_Daniel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/BergerS_Daniel)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-truncate-an-array/100003/1 "2006-07-26T16:48:30Z")

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> complains if you assign to it more than once.  
> If it’s not constant, don’t make it a constant.

> 1. We didn’t really truncate the array, just made a new empty one.

Ok, use Array#clear then:

irb(main):014:0\> a = [1,2,3]  
=\> [1, 2, 3]  
irb(main):015:0\> b = a  
=\> [1, 2, 3]  
irb(main):016:0\> a.clear  
=\> []  
irb(main):017:0\> a  
=\> []  
irb(main):018:0\> b  
=\> []

Regards,

Dan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BergerS\_Daniel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@BergerS\_Daniel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/BergerS_Daniel)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-truncate-an-array/100003/2 "2006-07-26T18:10:22Z")

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ah, thats the one.