From: William James <w_a_x_man@...>
Date: 2006-02-03T04:43:17+09:00
Subject: Re: Chomping and stomping

ara.t.howard@noaa.gov wrote:
> On Fri, 3 Feb 2006, William James wrote:
>
> >
> > John Maclean wrote:
> >> Chaps,
> >>
> >> Here's a short script to keep requesting for input...
> >>
> >> #!/usr/bin/ruby -w
> >> def chomper
> >>   xx = gets.chomp!
> >>   until $_ == "qq"
> >>     puts "hit me with a squirell!"
> >>     xx = gets.chomp!
> >>     xx
> >>   end
> >> end
> >>
> >> chomper
> >>
> >> # this works but surely there must be a way to incoporate a variable
> >> in there?
> >>
> >> #!/usr/bin/ruby -w
> >> def chomper
> >>   xx = gets.chomp!
> >>   until xx == "qq"
> >>     puts "hit me with a squirell!"
> >>     xx
> >>   end
> >> end
> >>
> >> #this don't work.
> >
> >
> > def chomper
> >  until (xx = gets.chomp) == 'qq'
> >    puts "hit me with a squirell!"
> >  end
> >  xx
> > end
> >
> > puts chomper
>
>
>    harp:~ > cat a.rb
>    def chomper
>      until (xx = gets.chomp) == 'qq'
>        puts "hit me with a squirell!"
>      end
>      xx
>    end
>
>    puts chomper
>
>
>    harp:~ > ruby a.rb < /dev/null
>    a.rb:3:in `chomper': private method `chomp' called for nil:NilClass (NoMethodError)
>            from a.rb:9

The error I get in a dos-box is
The system cannot find the path specified.

To produce the error you gave, I must do it this way:
ruby a.rb < nul:

When you post something that depends upon a particular
operating system, you need to make that dependency clear.

It is reasonable to write a program that requires input.
It is not reasonable to expect a program that requires input to
function properly when you deliberately deprive it of input.