From: Harold Hausman <hhausman@...>
Date: 2007-01-27T14:43:20+09:00
Subject: Re: Another Ruby language question

On 1/27/07, Neville Franks <subs@surfulater.com> wrote:
> Following from yesterday I have a few more Ruby questions.
>
> Can someone please explain what 'self' does in the following:
>
>  module Mod1
>    def self.a_method
>      puts 'a'
>    end
>
>    def b_method
>      puts 'b'
>    end
>  end
>
> If self isn't specificed I'm unable to call the method. ex.
>  Mod1::b_method fails.
>

So in this particular case, 'self' here refers to the Module called
Mod1. Your code defines a method (a_method) on the module itself which
allows you to call it with the :: syntax.

The other method (b_method) is merely a method defined inside the
module. In this case the module is acting as a namespace. If you
'include' this module somewhere in your code you'll be adding the
b_method to that place (scope?)

(disclaimer: I'm still learning ruby myself, so that may not be the
best answer ever, but it is how I understand it... And knowing these
guys these days I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, mere moments from
now.)

>
> Next. What does '/upload' mean in:
>    class Upload < R '/upload'
> This is from:
> http://www.oreillynet.com/ruby/blog/2007/01/the_joy_of_rolling_your_own_wi.html
>

Right here you're fishing in _why territory (specifically the camping
framework) where things are way over my head, someone else will have
to help you there.

hth,
-Harold