From: Joel VanderWerf <vjoel@...>
Date: 2004-07-10T05:11:16+09:00
Subject: Re: Kernel#load and locally scoped variables

John wrote:
> Is there any way for a Kernel#load(file) code block to gain access to
> the variables that are in scope at the point at which that file is
> loaded?  Anyone have a code example that they could share?  Or an
> explanation as to why it doesn't work?

Sure. Use read and eval instead of load:

---- a.rb ----

x = nil # the variable must "exist" before the eval
load "b.rb"
p x  # ==> nil
eval File.read("b.rb")
p x  # ==> 1

---- b.rb ----

x = 1

----

This is a little "evil", though. My preferred alternative is to wrap the 
loaded file in a module and use that module's scope to access methods 
and constants (but local vars stay local), as in 
http://ruby-talk.org/100429.