From: ara.t.howard@...
Date: 2006-04-14T04:21:32+09:00
Subject: Re: Question mark in attr_*

On Fri, 14 Apr 2006, Patrick Hurley wrote:

> On 4/13/06, Wiebe Cazemier <halfgaar@gmx.net> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Methods which return booleans end with a question mark, by convention. But how
>> about boolean attributes (attr_[reader, accessor, writer])? Saying
>> "attr_reader :variable?" won't work. I find it rather strange when you have to
>> access boolean attributes without the question mark, but the methods with the
>> question mark.
>>
>>
>>
>
> As ruby does not have data types, the onus is on the developer to
> spell out that she/he wants such an accessor. So add this to your
> program:
>
> class Module
> def battr_reader(sym, *more)
>   battr_reader(*more) unless more.empty?
>   define_method("#{sym}?") { !!instance_variable_get("@#{sym}") }
> end
> end
> Then you can add a battr_reader to any class...
> pth

or just use

   attr_reader 'variable?'

;-)

-a
-- 
be kind whenever possible... it is always possible.
- h.h. the 14th dali lama