From: Hal Fulton <hal9000@...>
Date: 2004-09-20T12:57:39+09:00
Subject: Re: Nuby question about symbols

Mehr, Assaph (Assaph) wrote:
>>I'll give it a shot:
> 
> 
> [snip excellent info]
> 
> In addition to what Markus has written, you can also read the (somewhat
> brief) explanation at: 
> http://phrogz.net/ProgrammingRuby/language.html#symbols.
> 
> 
> IIUC, symbols are implemented internally as immutable strings. Take a
> look at String#intern or String#to_sym (
> http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/String.html#M001310).

I agree Markus's explanation was excellent. (I didn't even know that Lisp
had symbols.)

I'd only add that one common use for a Ruby Symbol is to stand for a method
name. (That's a slightly misleading statement perhaps -- attr_accessor takes
one symbol and creates two methods, but their names are both based on the
symbol.)

For example, attr_accessor takes symbols, as does Object#send.


Hal