From: cros <crosone@...>
Date: 2005-12-09T00:17:56+09:00
Subject: Best Practice Advise for a Total Ruby Beginner

Hey, I've just started running through the first edition of
"Programming Ruby" and I'm already enjoying this language.  I'm not the
best programmer in the world (self-taught) so I'm coming here to ask
for advise.  Here's the situation (simplified for example):

class Ticket
	def initialize( id )
		@id	= id
		@messages = Array.new(0)
	end

	def addMessage( message )
		@messages << message #push message
		@messages = @messages.sort { |a,b| a.created <=> b.created } #sort by
create time
	end
end

class Message
	def initialize( created )
		@created = created
	end

	def created
		@created
	end
end

ticket = Ticket.new( 1 )
ticket.addMessage( Message.new( 2005 ) )
ticket.addMessage( Message.new( 1999 ) )

I found I had to make a method to access the "created" instance var in
the Message class in the sort block.  I tried using a.@created and
b.@created but it threw a syntax error.  So, my question: Is making a
method simply to access a var as in this case "good programming"?

Paul