From: Robert Dober <robert.dober@...>
Date: 2006-08-29T04:59:40+09:00
Subject: Re: Integer(nil) versus Float(nil) versus String(nil)

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On 8/28/06, Christoffer Sawicki <christoffer.sawicki@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 8/24/06, David Vallner <david@vallner.net> wrote:
> > Probably.
> >
> > <rant>
> > But my Java-addled brain makes me make damn sure nulls / nils don't com=
e
> > anywhere near I expect actual data, like into collections or numbers. I=
f
> > you don't rely on automagical conversion to work, it can't bite you if
> > it doesn't. Just code explicitly.
> > </rant>
>
> That's definitely a valid point, but slightly irrelevant.


Well it is your thread but I understand and agree with David that the nil
(do not call it null on that list though ;)
in a conversion is troubeling.
I read him that way that by banning it a part of your inconsistency will go
away, do you agree?

> The to_foo and #Foo() type conversion methods being different always
> > confuses the heck of me, which is why I get paranoid around them. Does
> > anyone have a link to some rationale for and explanation of the
> difference?
>
> Integer/Float are usually considered to be the *strict* equivalents of
> to_i/to_f.


Are they?  So far I  have never heared that claim.
http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Kernel.html#M002003 says the contrary.
I do not necessarily think that is good, but that is how it is documented.

Try to feed them non-number strings and you'll see.


No you will not, "x".to_i Integer("x")

I don't
> know anything more about them though. :)
>
> Anyway, I was a bit puzzled over these two things on Integer/Float:
>
> 1) Them accepting nil at all
> 2) The (IMHO) inconsistency
>
> I can accept both things as they are, since nothing says they should
> act the way I except them to, but I thought it could be good to bring
> it up.


I too hope that behavior will go away.

Cheers,
>
> --
> Christoffer Sawicki
> http://vemod.net/
>
>
Robert

--=20
Deux choses sont infinies : l'univers et la b=EAtise humaine ; en ce qui
concerne l'univers, je n'en ai pas acquis la certitude absolue.

- Albert Einstein

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