From: Robert Dober <robert.dober@...>
Date: 2007-02-20T19:10:00+09:00
Subject: Re: Strange question: Convert string to array name

On 2/20/07, SonOfLilit <sonoflilit@gmail.com> wrote:
> There should be, also I don't remember it.
>
> For all kinds of variables except for local I know the ways, but local
> elludes me :)
>
> Aur Saraf
>
> PLUG: http://rubymentor.rubyforge.org/wiki/wiki.pl
>
> On 2/20/07, kenbo <kenneth.moorman@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Feb 19, 7:59 pm, Aaron Patterson <aaron_patter...@speakeasy.net>
> > wrote:
> > > On Tue, Feb 20, 2007 at 09:20:13AM +0900, kenbo wrote:
> > > > I am coming to Ruby from LISP where I was more competent when it came
> > > > to symbol
> > > > manipulation :-)   I have spent some time trying to solve this problem
> > > > and figure it's my
> > > > general lack of deep knowledge ala Ruby that keeps me from seeing an
> > > > "easy" solution.
> > >
> > > > With that said, I apologize if this has been answered and I missed
> > > > it.
> > >
> > > > I have astringin a variable.
> > > > foo = "bobo"
> > >
> > > > I want to use foo to access anarraycalled bobo.   I will have bobo
> > > > defined already.
> > >
> > > > Is there a way to do this?
> > >
> > > eval() might be what you're looking for.  You can use eval to return thearraythen index in to it.  Here's an example from:
> > >
> > > irb(main):001:0> awesome_array = %w{ one two three four five }
> > > => ["one", "two", "three", "four", "five"]
> > > irb(main):002:0> foo = 'awesome_array'
> > > => "awesome_array"
> > > irb(main):003:0> puts eval(foo)[1]
> > > two
> > > => nil
> > > irb(main):004:0>
> > >
> > > Hope that helps!
> > >
> > > --
> > > Aaron Pattersonhttp://tenderlovemaking.com/- Hide quoted text -
> > >
> > > - Show quoted text -
> >
> > Thanks for the folks that mentioned eval---I thought of that after the
> > posting but
> > assumed that, as in LISP, there might be a better way to accomplish
> > it :-)
Are you thinking about Ma****, do not mention it anymore on this list ;)
Well it is not really the way of Ruby.
> >
> > It's nice to see more similarities between LISP and Ruby.
> >
> > kenny
> >
> >
> >
>
>
There is if you can get away from the local variable as somebody
mentioned without sharing his wisdom with us ;)

If we want to access an array @bobo there is

instance_variable_get( "@'" << foo.to_s ).first

and all kind of variations.

Cheers
Robert

-- 
We have not succeeded in answering all of our questions.
In fact, in some ways, we are more confused than ever.
But we feel we are confused on a higher level and about more important things.
-Anonymous