From: gwtmp01@...
Date: 2006-05-26T22:25:58+09:00
Subject: Re: How to access a classes private method


On May 26, 2006, at 8:29 AM, Charlie Bowman wrote:

> I'm trying to call a classes protected method but I can't seem to  
> get it
> to work.  Here's an example of the method I'm trying to call
>
> moule Foo
>   Class Bar
>    protected
>         def bars_method(a=2)
>             a
>         end
>     end
> end
>
> Here's what the relevant parts of my script look like
>
> def calling_protected_method
>     result = Foo::Bar.bars_method
> end

This is wrong for two reasons:
   1) you are calling bars_method on the class object 'Foo::Bar' and  
not on an *instance* of Foo::Bar
   2) the standard calling syntax will trip the protected method check


bar = Foo::Bar.new          # get an instance of Foo::Bar
bar.bars_method             # method found now but is protected
NoMethodError: protected method `bars_method' called for #<Foo::Bar: 
0x1c8e50>

In order to bypass the protected method check you need to use send,  
which ignores visibility attributes (private/protected).

bar.send(:bars_method)		# 2
bar.send(:bars_method, "arg1")  # "arg1"


Gary Wright