From: "Mauricio Fernández" <mfp@...>
Date: 2005-08-12T19:26:11+09:00
Subject: Re: Dear RubyGems: Perhaps a better way to override require...

On Fri, Aug 12, 2005 at 06:14:21AM +0900, Ryan Leavengood wrote:
> Also it seems to be the alias method is fine, as long as everyone uses a
> unique name for the old method:
[...]
> module Kernel
>   alias :_some_old_require_ :require
>   def require(s)
>     puts 'New require, now calling _some_old_require_...'
>     _some_old_require_(s)
>   end
> end
> 
> require 'English'
> puts $PID
> __END__
> 
> C:\_Ryan\ruby>ruby require_test.rb
> New require, now calling _some_old_require_...
> New require, now calling _old_require_...
> 3408
> 
> If unique names aren't used, the result is an infinite loop.

I often prefer something like:

batsman@tux-chan:/tmp$ cat gfdhoidhi.rb

module Kernel
    meth = instance_method(:require)
    define_method(:require) do |s|
        puts "New require(1), reusing old definition"
        meth.bind(self).call(s)
    end
end


module Kernel
    meth = instance_method(:require)
    define_method(:require) do |s|
        puts "New require(2), reusing old definition"
        meth.bind(self).call(s)
    end
end

require 'English'
puts $PID
batsman@tux-chan:/tmp$ ruby gfdhoidhi.rb
New require(2), reusing old definition
New require(1), reusing old definition
4582

especially in 1.9, of course.

-- 
Mauricio Fernandez