From: Mark Volkmann <r.mark.volkmann@...>
Date: 2006-05-18T05:41:04+09:00
Subject: Re: Capturing stdout

On 5/17/06, Eric Hodel <drbrain@segment7.net> wrote:
> On May 17, 2006, at 12:10 PM, uncutstone wu wrote:
>
> > Eric Hodel wrote:
> >> On May 17, 2006, at 5:26 AM, Mark Volkmann wrote:
> >>>> $stdout = stdout
> >>>
> >>>  # Add a write method to this string object.
> >>>  def dest.write(data); self << data; end
> >>
> >> How is this better than using StringIO?
> >
> > IMHO, by using StringIO, you pay for something useless in this case
> > but
> > maybe usefule anywhere else. I mean StringIO has many methods(e.g.
> > read,close,rewind) besides write , but "def dest.write....." has just
> > the function you want.
>
> You're confusing unused with useless.  I almost never use Hash#index
> but that doesn't make it useless.
>
> > You just pay for what you want. Isn't it better?
>
> No.  Using StringIO is more robust and more maintainable than using a
> String with custom methods.  If I want to puts or print then I have
> to add those methods.  If I just used StringIO I won't have to do
> anything.

You don't have to add a puts method to the String object in order to
have puts calls append to it. puts ends up calling write. I assume
print does the same, but I'm not sure.

-- 
R. Mark Volkmann
Object Computing, Inc.