From: MiG <mig@1984.cz>
Date: 2005-10-19T22:28:29+09:00
Subject: Array.sort when it's items are String inheritors with redefined <=> works like if not redefined

Hello,
  I want to have a string which, if in array, will be sorted like numbers.  
I wrote this:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

class String2 < String

     def <=> str2
         self.to_i <=> str2.to_i
     end

end

a = [ String2.new('1'), String2.new('10'), String2.new('5') ]

puts a.sort.join(',')

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It produces "1,10,5", but I expected "1,5,10"

Then I wrote a class without String inheritance and it works.
BUT: another strange thing happened:

in `<=>': undefined method `to_i' for #<S:0x40020930 @a="10">  
(NoMethodError)

to_i method, even if @a is a String, must be explicitely defined.
Moreover "defined". What do you think about it?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

class String2

     def initialize a
         @a = a
     end

     def <=> b
         @a.is_a? String       # >> true but..
         @a.to_i <=> b.to_i  # .. @a.to_i doesn't work if I don't define  
to_i method below
     end

     def to_i
         @a.to_i
     end

     def to_s
         @a
     end

end

a = [ String2.new('1'), String2.new('10'), String2.new('5') ]

puts a.sort.join(',')

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you,
jan molic