# Simple editing. Works in IRB; not as script **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [January 16, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981 "2007-01-16T18:23:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **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:** [January 16, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/1 "2007-01-16T18:23:44Z")
Hello, I’m trying to create a simple editing template for myself, just some code that I can use for future editing needs, where I open a file, change stuff, and then save the file. I created this simple little script, but, it doesn’t work when I run it. It complains about line 3. I get an exception with “wrong number of arguments (0 for 1).” But, when I do this script, line for line, in IRB, I have no problems. Dir.chdir(“C:/documents and settings/pb4072/my documents/scripts/ruby”) contents = File.read{“test1.txt”} #The file is just a bunch of repeated “The quick brown fox…” phrases. contents.gsub!(/fox/, “horse”) File.open(“test2.txt”, “w”) { |f| f.print contents } Thanks, 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:** [January 16, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/2 "2007-01-16T18:30:55Z")
On Jan 16, 2007, at 11:24 AM, Peter B. wrote: > contents = File.read{“test1.txt”} That’s a typo. You want (…) instead of {…}. James Edward G. II ---
**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:** [January 16, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/3 "2007-01-16T18:39:01Z")
James G. wrote: > On Jan 16, 2007, at 11:24 AM, Peter B. wrote: > > > contents = File.read{“test1.txt”} > > That’s a typo. You want (…) instead of {…}. > > James Edward G. II Duh, sorry James, but, I don’t see what you mean. I don’t have any (…) data in there. The test file I made is named “test1.txt.”) ---
**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:** [January 16, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/4 "2007-01-16T19:01:59Z")
On Jan 16, 2007, at 11:39 AM, Peter B. wrote: > (…) > data in there. The test file I made is named “test1.txt.”) The correct line of code is: contents = File.read(“test1.txt”) James Edward G. II ---
**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:** [January 16, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/5 "2007-01-16T20:01:16Z")
On 1/16/07, James Edward G. II [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > James Edward G. II > > > > Duh, sorry James, but, I don’t see what you mean. I don’t have any > > (…) > > data in there. The test file I made is named “test1.txt.”) You need to pass File.read a simple method argument, which goes inside parentheses, you don’t need a block. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/6 "2007-01-16T20:20:21Z")
On 1/16/07, Peter B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > You need to pass File.read a simple method argument, which goes inside > > parentheses, you don’t need a block. > > > > I don’t understand. My line says this: > > > > contents = File.read{“test1.txt”} > > > > I’m using parentheses, no block. I’ve done this in a number of other > > scripts, and, they work fine. Those aren’t parentheses, they’re braces, which means you’re passing a block to it. You have to use ( instead of { . contents= File.read(“test1.txt”) ---
**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:** [January 16, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/7 "2007-01-16T20:07:20Z")
Tamreen Khan wrote: > On 1/16/07, James Edward G. II [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > > James Edward G. II > > > > > > Duh, sorry James, but, I don’t see what you mean. I don’t have any > > > (…) > > > data in there. The test file I made is named “test1.txt.”) > > You need to pass File.read a simple method argument, which goes inside > parentheses, you don’t need a block. I don’t understand. My line says this: contents = File.read{“test1.txt”} I’m using parentheses, no block. I’ve done this in a number of other scripts, and, they work fine. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-editing-works-in-irb-not-as-script/81981/8 "2007-01-16T20:23:38Z")
> Those aren’t parentheses, they’re braces, which means you’re passing a > block > to it. > You have to use ( instead of { . > > contents= File.read(“test1.txt”) Yes, I’m an idiot. Thank you very much. I need really big glasses.