From: Joel VanderWerf <vjoel@...>
Date: 2004-09-10T06:22:50+09:00
Subject: Re: [Design advice] including a file as code ('as is')

Benny wrote:

> dear list,
> 
> I have 2 files: main.rb and include_me.rb.
> I want include_me.rb to contain only the method definitions 
> (dont have to care about its module and class).
> 
> [[background information: 
> the real problem is a bit more complicated.
> finally 'main.rb' will open lots of different 'include_me.rb's in a loop
> and even check if it has already opened them before open them twice, but
> running classname.run each time in the loop (i.e. file name of the include
> and classname are variables passed to main.rb in the loop)]]
> 
> 
> the following code works, but
>         - will it always work no matter whats in 'include_me.rb'?
>         - is there a better solution to get rid of the evil "eval"?
> 
> I know there is send(:define_method, "method_name") but I want
> 'include_me.rb' to appear like if it would be a valid ruby script on its
> own (without using any "special methods" only for the inclusion purpose).
> 
> to simply redefine the same class in each include file is not an option.

Take a look at

http://redshift.sourceforge.net/script/

It's a variation on the load-with-wrapper suggestion and it still uses 
eval, but it returns the module containing all the methods and constants 
defined at the top-level in the loaded file. You can then call them 
directly or include the module in some class.