From: Pit Capitain <pit@...>
Date: 2006-07-12T18:49:02+09:00
Subject: Re: Class name methods

Joey schrieb:
> Hey Ruby-Talk,
> I've got this:
> class H
> 
> end
> 
> def H(a)
>  p a
> end
> H H
> 
> I was wondering how Ruby handles this? I know it works, but *how*?

Ruby has different namespaces for methods and constants, so you can 
create both a constant "H" and a method "H". When parsing the expression

   H H

Ruby notices that the first "H" is followed by a parameter, so Ruby 
chooses the *method* "H". The second "H" doesn't have a parameter, so 
Ruby chooses the *constant* "H".

BTW, you can also do the same with methods and local variables:

   v = "v"

   def v(a)
     p a
   end

   v v  # => "v"

Note also the following error messages:

   x y  # => undefined local variable or method `y'

and

   y = 1
   x y  # => undefined method `x'

Here you see that "x" can only be a method, whereas "y" could be a local 
variable or a method.

Regards,
Pit