[ruby-core:37248] [Ruby 1.9 - Feature #4910] Classes as factories

Issue #4910 has been updated by Robert Klemme.


Benoit Daloze wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Robert Klemme wrote:
> > I suggest to add these two to class Class:
> > 
> > class Class
> >   alias call new
> > 
> >   def to_proc(*args)
> >     lambda {|*a| new(*args)}
> >   end
> > end
> 
> Did you want to mean:
> def to_proc
>   lambda { |*args| new(*args) } # or maybe lambda { |args| new(*args) }
> end
> ?
> 
> #to_proc is called with no arguments (Symbol.instance_method(:to_proc).arity # => 0).

No, it was meant exactly as stated.  Advantage is that you can provide parameters to #new if needed while mapping the parameterless call of to_proc easily to the parameterless call of Class#new.

> > Then we can use class instances where blocks are needed and can easily use them as factory instances using the general contract of #call (see example attached).
> 
> I don't really see the advantage of defining #call, you could use #new instead at line 16.
> If you want more flexibility, I believe it is fine to use a block.

That's the exact point: by aliasing #new to #call we can pass in a lambda OR a class instance.  The most general contract would then be '#call'able (i.e. an anonymous callback function) and as a shortcut we can pass in a class instance.

> But I like Class#to_proc, and it is indeed some kind of factory helper:
> 
>   Pos = Struct.new :x,:y
>   [[1,2],[3,4]].map(&Pos) # => [#<struct Pos x=1, y=2>, #<struct Pos x=3, y=4>]
>   # instead of
>   [[1,2],[3,4]].map { |x,y| Pos.new(x,y) }
> 
>   # note neither #to_proc defined as "lambda { |*args| new(*args) }" nor map(&Pos.method(:new)) would work:
>   # ([#<struct Pos x=[1, 2], y=nil>,...])
> 
> The obvious limitation being the lack of flexibility for common arguments (e.g.: y always the same). You would then have to use an explicit block.
> 
> I do not know if it is worth to add it for this specific case, but it can be nice.

I had considered that case as well and felt it might not be as common as the case where we try to provide arguments.  I do not have any statistics though and I hope for others shedding some more light what they deem more useful.

A variant would be

class Class
  def to_proc(*args)
    if args.empty?
      lambda {|*a| new(*a)}
    else
      lambda {|*a| new(*args)}
    end
  end
end

In other words: if arguments are passed to to_proc use them as sole method arguments for #new; if not, use whatever is passed to the proc (which would support your mapping example).

We could probably make things even more complex by appending *a to *args and truncating the list with the arity of #new at the time of invocation of the block (or, more efficient, time of call of to_proc).

> I am also unsure if we need factories in Ruby (certainly not like in statically typed languages).

Any class in Ruby *is* a factory object already with method #new being the factory method.
----------------------------------------
Feature #4910: Classes as factories
http://redmine.ruby-lang.org/issues/4910

Author: Robert Klemme
Status: Open
Priority: Normal
Assignee: 
Category: 
Target version: 


I suggest to add these two to class Class:

class Class
  alias call new

  def to_proc(*args)
    lambda {|*a| new(*args)}
  end
end

Then we can use class instances where blocks are needed and can easily use them as factory instances using the general contract of #call (see example attached).


-- 
http://redmine.ruby-lang.org