From: Kent Dahl <kentda@...>
Date: 2001-11-04T07:10:48+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:24300] Readability: Verbose version of *arrayToParameter expansion?

Hi.

Having just discussed variances in readability between Python and Ruby
with a ex-co-worker while shopping frozen pizza, I went on and used the
array to parameter list expansion operator:

	a = ParseDate.parsedate("2001-05-25") #=> [2001,05,25,nil,nil,...]
	date = Date.new( *a[0..2] )

which makes all the C/C++ pointer dereferencing hairs stand on end along
my neck (*shudder*)

Now, I know I can do this the tedious way: 
	date = Date.new( a[0],a[1],a[2] )
but I was wondering if there was a more readable option to use in cases
where I can't specify the number of arguments in advance.

I'm basically wondering if there is an Array#to_parameter_list or
equivalent?

( I also have a similar feeling towards the & for block parameters, but
then I tend to use proc explicitly when dealing with callbacks that
don't yield, but call or store the block. )

-- 
<[ Kent Dahl ]>================<[ http://www.stud.ntnu.no/~kentda/ ]>
  )____(stud.techn.;ind.�k.data)||(softwareDeveloper.at(Trustix))_( 
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( "the University, my girlfriend, stray cats, banana fruitflies,  " )
 \"nor the frontal lobe of my left cerebral hemisphere.           "/