From: James Edward Gray II <james@...>
Date: 2005-01-22T00:12:05+09:00
Subject: Re: Refernce objects

On Jan 21, 2005, at 8:58 AM, Richard Turner wrote:

>>    class Section
>>      def self.[](n)
>>        # here, a fetch command for record n
>>      end
>>    end
>>
>>    record = Section[10]
>>
>> That would bypass the need for a constructor (if that's appropriate in
>> your case).
>>
>
> That's great, but isn't that just a more succinct way of doing the same
> thing?  I.e. isn't this the same?:
>
> class Section
>   def self.loadedFromDB(sectionID)
>     # here, a fetch command for record sectionID
>   end
> end

Yes, but less Javaish and more Rubyish.  ;)  We're not a wordy bunch 
and [] is our standard accessor, say you convey the same information, 
but type less.

> What I want []() or loadedFromDB() to return is a Section, but I don't
> want people to be able to call Section.new in error, otherwise they'll
> not get what they think.  E.g.:

class Selection
	private_class_method :new

	def self.[]( id )
		Section.new(
			# whatever...
		)
	end
end

That help?

James Edward Gray II