From: dblack@...
Date: 2006-04-02T23:46:05+09:00
Subject: Re: I can't get hash list params working

Hi --

On Sun, 2 Apr 2006, Ashley Moran wrote:

> Hi
>
> I must be doing something stoopid here.  Can anyone explain why I get an 
> error on the last line of this irb session?
>
> irb(main):014:0> def a(a=nil,*b)
> irb(main):015:1>   puts a.inspect
> irb(main):016:1>   puts b.inspect
> irb(main):017:1> end
> => nil
> irb(main):018:0> a(1 => "one", 2 => "two")
> {1=>"one", 2=>"two"}
> []
> => nil
> irb(main):019:0> a(1 => "one", 2 => "two", 1)
> SyntaxError: compile error
> (irb):19: parse error, unexpected ')', expecting tASSOC
>       from (irb):19
>       from :0
>
>
> Surely the output should be
> {1=>"one", 2=>"two"}
> [1]
> ?

You can only use the "magic" hash argument if it's the last thing in
the arglist.  If it isn't, you have to write it like a regular hash:

   a({1 => "one", 2 => "two"}, 1)


David

-- 
David A. Black (dblack@wobblini.net)
Ruby Power and Light, LLC (http://www.rubypowerandlight.com)

"Ruby for Rails" chapters now available
from Manning Early Access Program! http://www.manning.com/books/black