From: Matthew Boeh <mboeh@...>
Date: 2007-11-11T19:29:56+09:00
Subject: Re: method names in 1.9


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On Sun, Nov 11, 2007 at 07:06:44PM +0900, Jordi wrote:
> On Nov 11, 2007 7:01 PM, Matthew Boeh <mboeh@desperance.net> wrote:
> >
> > On Sun, Nov 11, 2007 at 05:50:18PM +0900, Trans wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > On Nov 10, 10:55 am, "David A. Black" <dbl...@rubypal.com> wrote:
> > > > Hi --
> > > >
> > > > I know that a 1.9 feature-freeze is coming soon, but I just wanted =
to
> > > > put in a last-minute plea for some method name changes or removals.
> > > >
> > > > "invoke_method" is one. I always take the trouble to explain to peo=
ple
> > > > learning Ruby that sending a message and executing a method are not
> > > > same thing (even though they often happen together). "send" makes
> > > > sense: we're sending the object a message, explicitly. "invoke_meth=
od"
> > > > does not make sense. We're not invoking a method; we're sending a
> > > > message. The object then does something with the method.
> > >
> > > But is this distiction usable in nay way? Whe do they not coccur
> > > together. I'm just curious. I've heard this before, and while I
> > > basically understand, I don;t see how it plays out in actual Ruby
> > > practice.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > T.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > The first thing that comes to mind is method_missing.
> >
> >   ; class Q
> >   ;   def method_missing(meth, *args)
> >   ;     "zzz"
> >   ;   end
> >   ; end
> >   ; a =3D Q.new
> >   ; a.send(:arbitrary_message)
> >   # =3D> "zzz"
> >   ; a.method(:arbitrary_message)
> >   NameError: undefined method `arbitrary_message' for class `Q'
> >           from (irb):8:in `method'
> >           from (irb):8
> >           from :0
> >
> > Now, whether the distinction is actually significant in any practical s=
ense is
> > a different issue. In my experience, it's confusing at first, especiall=
y to
> > programmers from a procedural background, but it ultimately results in =
a more
> > sophisticated understanding of the object-oriented paradigm. It isn't
> > necessarily Ruby's place to fit itself to the task of pedagogy, but I
> > personally value the distinction between sending a message to an object
> > (Object#send) and invoking one of its methods (Object#method -> Method#=
call).
> >
> > --
> > Matthew Boeh
>=20
> IIRC, in Ruby everything is message sending to objects even in the
> disguise of Object#method, at least conceptually.
>=20

Conceptually, yes. But as far as I can tell, Object#respond_to? is effectiv=
ely=20
equivalent to:

  def respond_to?(message)
    !!method(message) rescue false
  end

in that Object#method_missing doesn't have any effect on it. So there is a=
=20
concrete distinction between messages that map directly to methods and=20
messages handled by method_missing.

Actually, in that sense, Object#invoke_method would be an even less=20
semantically correct name if it treats concrete methods and method_missing=
=20
identically. I'd expect it to behave similarly to Object#method ->=20
Method#call. I'm unfortunately isolated in a terrifying world with no acces=
s=20
to Ruby SVN -- can anyone verify whether invoke_method will resolve to=20
method_missing?

--
Matthew Boeh

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