From: TRANS <transfire@...>
Date: 2005-09-04T09:43:29+09:00
Subject: Re: [ ruby-Bugs-2371 ] Lexic confusion: method/local variable distinction works strange

In 9/3/05, noreply@rubyforge.org <noreply@rubyforge.org> wrote:
> Initial Comment:
> I know that Ruby keeps track of local variables while parsing, to allow simpler syntax. But I found a very surprising behaviour:
> 
> class Foo
>   def bar sym
>     p sym
>   end
> end
> 
> foo = Foo.new
> 
> bar = 308  # comment this out to make it work
> foo.bar :test  # this fails: syntax error
> 
> foo_bar :test  # this is syntactically correct
> 
> I think it is easy to see that foo.bar is a method, and certainly in a different scope than the bar local variable. Is it possible to say the parser: x.y is always a method, so expect parameters, as you would if no local variable "bar" existed.

It has something to do with the fact that it is a symbol parameter
(and w/o parenthesis). Changing the parameter to string also allows it
to work. Pretty suprising.

T.