From: dblack@...
Date: 2006-11-17T07:24:45+09:00
Subject: Re: #returning and #tap

Hi --

On Fri, 17 Nov 2006, Joel VanderWerf wrote:

> dblack@wobblini.net wrote:
>> Hi --
>> 
>> On Fri, 17 Nov 2006, Joel VanderWerf wrote:
>> 
>>> Coming full circle around the golf course... This last one above is what 
>>> lead me to prefer #then (== #tap) in the first place:
>>> 
>>> def foo
>>>  @foo ||= Foo.new.then do |f|
>>>    f.bar = "bar"
>>>  end
>>> end
>>> 
>>> Also, #then  avoids the scoping nastiness of #instance_eval.
>> 
>> I'm not getting the semantics of "then".  Do you mean "then" as in, "I
>> took off my coat and then sat down", as opposed to then in if/then?
>
> Yes. Not much better than #tap, is it? Any ideas...? "and_then"?

"whereupon" :-)  I guess it's hard to find a name that's general
enough (as opposed to, say, "post_initialize") but also expressive
enough.  It does seem a slightly odd technique to me, in any case --
sort of like saying "Now I'm going to do this: this" instead of just
going to a new line and saying: "this".  I'm not sure how much of the
oddness I feel is the technique as opposed to the naming issue.


David

-- 
                   David A. Black | dblack@rubypal.com
Author of "Ruby for Rails"   [1] | Ruby/Rails training & consultancy [3]
DABlog (DAB's Weblog)        [2] | Co-director, Ruby Central, Inc.   [4]
[1] http://www.manning.com/black | [3] http://www.rubypowerandlight.com
[2] http://dablog.rubypal.com    | [4] http://www.rubycentral.org