From: Patrick Gundlach <clr5.10.randomuser@...>
Date: 2005-07-07T08:05:46+09:00
Subject: Re: Inheriting Array and slice() behaviour


[...]

>   OTOH, inheriting classes like Array is seldom really good.
> There are too many methods that return plain arrays and you end up
> with Arrays anyway.  Delegation, ad hoc modification or extension with
> a Module is often better.

Now it is the second time I've read this. Currently I have a class
that stores an 8 bit encoding. The elements of this class are accessed
directly just like an array. So now I have

class ENC < Array
 
  attr_accessor :foo

  def initialize(fileobject=nil)
     # if fileobject then initialize 256 elements with the contents
     # of the file
     # else
     #  super(256,"undefined slot")
  end
  def somefunction
    # read the contents of the 256 and store the result of
    # some operation in @foo
  end
end

So I get [], []= and a lot of things for free. My subclass is basicly
an array with some additional methods attached. What do you suggest
instead? Something like

class ENC < DelegateClass(Array)
  ...
end 

? 


Patrick