From: christophe mckeon <polypus@...>
Date: 2006-06-21T05:38:26+09:00
Subject: binary operators, coerce, and non numeric types


okay, i understand how to define a coerce method, but i don't think it 
can do what i want, in fact i think the only way to do what i want is 
rather ugly unless i drill down and actually patch the interpreter.

class X
  def + other
    BinOp.new(self,other,:+)
  end
end

class BinOp
  def initialize x,y,op
    @x,@y,@op=x,y,op
  end
end

x = X.new

x + x  # -> BinOp, the behaviour i want
x + 3  # -> BinOp, the behaviour i want
3 + 3  # -> 6, the behaviour i want
3 + x  # is of courses an error, but i want it to return a BinOp

the only way i can find that ruby will support this, is by writing

class Fixnum
  alias old_add +
  def + other
    if other.kind_of? X
      BinOp.new self, other, :+
    else
      self.old_add other
    end
  end
end

which is pretty ugly considering i have many operators to support, as 
well as several numeric types. of course i could automate it with some 
metaprogramming, but i'd like to know if anyone has any better ideas?


-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.