From: Robert Klemme <bob.news@...>
Date: 2006-01-10T00:53:02+09:00
Subject: Re: use of "return"

Dirk Meijer wrote:
> hi,
> 'return' is used to return a value, and end the method processing.
> at the end of a method, 'return' is indeed not needed, and simply
> that value will suffice, though i think a return looks nicer ;-)
> a good example where a return is needed, is this:
>
>   def method(arg)
>     if arg.class==String
>       return "invalid argument"
>     end
>     #rest of processing
>   end
>
> this looks a lot nicer than placing your entire method in if/else
> code. greetings, Dirk.

In this case you wouldn't use return values to flag this error.  It's is a
typical case for exceptions.

def mett(arg)
  raise ArgumentError, "#{arg.inspect} is not a String" unless String ===
arg
  # further processing
end

And taking this even further, in the light of Duck Typing (TM) usually no
type checks of this kind are made at all. :-)

Kind regards

    robert