From: Tobias Reif Date: 2001-10-26T00:04:50+09:00 Subject: [ruby-talk:23303] why the @ s ? Hi, on my journey from Rubynewbie to Whoknowswhat, I'm having difficulties in understanding variable scope. In http://www.rubynewbies.com/~tobi/howto/show_source.rb?file=show_source.rb&format=.xhtml http://www.rubynewbies.com/~tobi/howto/show_source.rb?file=show_source.rb&format=.txt I declare 3 variables whose name starts with an @ sign. When I omit any of the three @ signs, the Program doesn't work anymore. Why? It's no class, and all three variables are declared @ the toplevel, so I thought the @ signs are not necessary. (The vars are no instance vars, and they are not declared inside control structures that would limit their scope) I wonder if it's too obvious or too complex to get it myself... Tobi -- Tobias Reif http://www.pinkjuice.com/myDigitalProfile.xhtml go_to('www.ruby-lang.org').get(ruby).play.create.have_fun http://www.pinkjuice.com/ruby/