From: David Chelimsky <david@...>
Date: 2006-07-13T12:08:42+09:00
Subject: Re: re-define class method

On Jul 12, 2006, at 9:58 PM, David Chelimsky wrote:

> I've got the following:
>
> module ClassMethods
>   def class_method
>     "Class method"
>   end
> end
>
> class Thing
>   extend ClassMethods
> end
>
> Thing.class_method
> => "Class method"
>
> ... and I want to change the behaviour of that method at runtime. I  
> tried this:
>
> Thing.send(:define_method, :class_method, lambda{ "replaced" })
>
> ... but I still get this:
>
> Thing.class_method
> => "Class method"
>
> Am I close? What's the right way to do this?


OK - I've discovered that I can do this:

Thing.class.send(:define_method, :other_method, lambda{ "other" })
Thing.other_method
=> "other"

and even redefine it:

Thing.class.send(:define_method, :other_method, lambda{ "other  
redefined" })
Thing.other_method
=> "other redefined"

but if I try this:

Thing.class.send(:define_method, :class_method, lambda{ "replaced" })
Thing.class_method
=> "Class method"

So it looks like I can replace class methods that I define at  
runtime, but not the ones that were defined at load-time. Is that  
correct? Am I missing a step?

Thanks,
David