From: Gavin Kistner <gavin@...>
Date: 2005-04-25T23:22:53+09:00
Subject: Re: Array::new

On Apr 25, 2005, at 8:09 AM, Robert Klemme wrote:
>> If you come to this code, by looking at the Array documentation where
>> the example
>>             Array.new(2, Hash.new)  � [{}, {}]
>> is given, I agree that this documentation is misleading for beginners.
>
> Yep, true.  Probably a better example would be
>
>>> Array.new(2, {"foo"=>"bar"})
> => [{"foo"=>"bar"}, {"foo"=>"bar"}]

Though even then, it would appear (to someone wanting the specific 
functionality of the OP, and probably 'most' cases) that the parameter 
is used as a template, with .dup used for each instance. I think the 
example should illustrate that the objects are in fact the same, and 
discuss the end result each has:

my_array = Array.new( 2, { :foo => :bar } )
my_array[ 1 ][ :jimmy ] = :jammy
p my_array
#=> [{:foo=>:bar, :jimmy=>:jammy}, {:foo=>:bar, :jimmy=>:jammy}]

my_array = Array.new( 2 ){ { :foo => :bar } }
my_array[ 1 ][ :jimmy ] = :jammy
p my_array
#=> [{:foo=>:bar}, {:foo=>:bar, :jimmy=>:jammy}]