From: John Carter <john.carter@...>
Date: 2005-04-08T06:24:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Interpolating a string loaded from a text file

On Thu, 7 Apr 2005, John Elrick wrote:

> Hoping you guys can help out here.  Is there any way to interpolate a
> string that is loaded dynamically?

This is my print help routine, the help file itself is almost book length, 
and contains a bunch of #{expressions} that retrieve information from the 
"deliverable_registry" object. (Basically the deliverable_registry 
object knows what can be done, what the command line options to select 
those actions, the descriptions of those actions etc...)

# Doesn't return.
# If STDOUT is a terminal pipe the help file through "less".
def print_help_and_exit(deliverable_registry, plaint = "")


   # Pipe the output through less, unless we are within emacs...
   outf = STDOUT
   if STDOUT.stat.chardev?() && ENV['TERM'] != 'dumb' then
     outf = open( "|less", "w")
     outf = STDOUT if !outf
   end

   eval("
begin
   outf.puts <<EOHELP
"+
        File.read( "#{WORK_DIR}/Utilities/inc/build_help.txt")+
        "
EOHELP # Catch an exit from less
rescue Errno::EPIPE => details
   $log_file.print_to_screen = 0 # Don't gibber to the screen about the
                                 # early exit from less
end
")

   outf.close if outf != STDOUT

# Write the exit reason to the log file..
   $log_file.history plaint
   exit(1)

# Catch early exit from less
rescue Errno::EPIPE => details
   $log_file.print_to_screen = 0
end




John Carter                             Phone : (64)(3) 358 6639
Tait Electronics                        Fax   : (64)(3) 359 4632
PO Box 1645 Christchurch                Email : john.carter@tait.co.nz
New Zealand

Refactorers do it a little better every time.