# What is the $ in varaiable **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [December 27, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348 "2007-12-27T21:20:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/1 "2007-12-27T21:20:48Z")
what is the meaning of the $ in the variable $tws = Twslinkrb::TWSLinkWrap.new(1) ---
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/2 "2007-12-27T21:23:44Z")
Junkone wrote: > what is the meaning of the $ in the variable > $tws = Twslinkrb::TWSLinkWrap.new(1) It marks the variable as global. ---
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/3 "2007-12-27T21:50:46Z")
On Dec 27, 3:22 pm, Sebastian H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Junkone wrote: > > > what is the meaning of the $ in the variable > > $tws = Twslinkrb::TWSLinkWrap.new(1) > > It marks the variable as global. > > – > NP: Nile - The Infinity Of Stone > Jabber: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > ICQ: 205544826 how do global instance variables work. i am looking for some examples espcially how the scope of the varaibles work. thanks ---
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/4 "2007-12-27T22:00:46Z")
On Dec 27, 3:53 pm, Sebastian H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > NP: Ulver - Ulveratternes Kamp > Jabber: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > ICQ: 205544826 ok. if i have $something, is it available to all the objects withtin the program. for ex i have opened $something a.method invoks b.method. does $something be available inside b.method without passing it. can u point out some examples. thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/5 "2007-12-27T21:55:27Z")
Junkone wrote: > how do global instance variables work. There’s no such thing. If a var starts with $, it’s global, if it starts with @ it’s an instance var. It can’t be both. HTH, Sebastian ---
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/6 "2007-12-27T23:58:50Z")
> if i have $something, is it available to all the objects withtin the program. It is really totally global. You can access any global var from any method. 🙂 In many cases though, you will find that in “typical” ruby code there is not really the need to use many global variables (but instead local, and @instance vars) ---
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/7 "2007-12-27T22:05:27Z")
Junkone wrote: > ok. if i have $something, is it available to all the objects withtin > the program. Yes, that’s what global means. > i have opened $something > a.method invoks b.method. > does $something be available inside b.method without passing it. Yes. HTH, Sebastian ---
**Author:** ![Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@Junkone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Junkone)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-is-the-in-varaiable/124348/8 "2007-12-29T11:05:34Z")
On 27.12.2007 23:58, Marc H. wrote: > > if i have $something, is it available to all the objects withtin the program. > > It is really totally global. You can access any global var from any > method. 🙂 There are however some variables that are gloabal but thread local (all globals that are affected by regular expression matching). > In many cases though, you will find that in “typical” ruby code there is > not really the need to use many global variables (but instead local, and > @instance vars) And in fact, globals are often considered bad practice - not just in Ruby but more generally. 🙂 Kind regards robert