From: Paul <tester.paul@...>
Date: 2007-01-20T06:55:05+09:00
Subject: Bug in Ruby with adding strings?

I just found what looks like a bug in Ruby 184-20. (I haven't tried it
in newer builds.)  Here's a simple script that will expose this bug:
----
irb(main):001:0> x = 1
=> 1
irb(main):002:0> puts 'foo' + x.to_s +'bar'
SyntaxError: compile error
(irb):2: syntax error
puts 'foo' + x.to_s +'bar'
                     ^
        from (irb):2
----

I finally figured out that it was the Plus sign *right next* to the
"bar", *after* the "to_s" method that Ruby dislikes.  If I insert a
space, I get the correct output.  If I take out both spaces, I get the
correct output.  It's only if there's a space after the "to_s" and none
between the Plus sign and string-in-quotes that it blows up.

That is:
> puts 'foo' + x.to_s + 'bar'     # this works
> puts 'foo' + x.to_s +'bar'      # doesn't work
> puts 'foo' + x.to_s+ 'bar'      # this works
> puts 'foo' + x.to_s+'bar'       # this works


Anyone know why this might be?  I haven't played with it anymore, so I
wonder if this bug exists with other methods.

Paul