From: Gregory Brown <gregory.t.brown@...>
Date: 2006-09-16T06:46:07+09:00
Subject: Re: not sure what is wrong. strange error

hi, see the other posts about overloading, but i'll try to help with your case

On 9/15/06, Junkone <junkone1@gmail.com> wrote:
> My class declation is like this
>
> class TorontoTraderLoader
>         INDEX_SYMBOL=2
>         STOCK_SYMBOL=1
>         @backTestDb=['backtestBackTest', 'user','pass']
>
>         def initialize(backTesting)
>                 @exchanges=@industries=@sectors=@stocksymbols=''
>                 @dbcon=DbAccess.new(@backTestDb)
>                 loadLookup
>         end
>         def initialize()
>         @exchanges=@industries=@sectors=@stocksymbols=''
>
>                 loaddbConn
>                 loadLookup
>         end

It looks like you want to use an optional parameter

try:

def initialize(back_testing=nil)
  @exchanges          = ""
  @industries           = ""
  @sectors                = ""
  @stock_symbols  = ""
  @dbcon = back_testing ? DbAccess.new(@back_test_db) : load_db_con
   load_lookup
 end

I think this will do what you'd expect it to do

new() will call load_db_con, new(true) would be calling your back_test_db

====

I am a little bit concerned with the way you've organized this class,
but hopefully this will at least show three things.

1) How to use optional parameters

2) ruby_style instead of javaStyle

3) note that I split up the assignment for your instance variables?
It is because they were pointing to the same object.

>> a = b = "foo"
=> "foo"
>> a.replace "bar"
=> "bar"
>> b
=> "bar"