From: "David A. Black" <dblack@...>
Date: 2005-10-10T11:41:58+09:00
Subject: Re: local_variable_set ?

Hi --

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005, Hal Fulton wrote:

> No, this isn't April Fool's Day. I'm seriously wondering
> if this has ever been considered.
>
> I can only think of one place I'd use it -- to turn hashes
> (used as named parameters) into real variables.
>
> Something like:
>
>  def meth(hash)
>    bind = binding
>    hash.each_pair {|k,v| local_variable_set(k,v,bind) }
>    # Assuming call was:  meth(alpha: 123, beta: 234, gamma: 345)
>    # we now can reference alpha, beta, and gamma as ordinary
>    # variables...
>  end

I think making bindings writeable has been suggested:

   binding[:alpha] = 123

or whatever.

> Thoughts?

To me it suggests too tight a coupling between the caller and the
method.  If you write a method that depends on being told to create a
local variable with a particular name, you're limiting what can be
done by way of refactoring and reimplementing the method.


David

-- 
David A. Black
dblack@wobblini.net