From: James Edward Gray II <james@...>
Date: 2007-03-16T10:31:40+09:00
Subject: Re: to_a

On Mar 15, 2007, at 8:15 PM, Corey Konrad wrote:

> Ash wrote:
>> On Mar 15, 8:33 pm, Corey Konrad <0...@hush.com> wrote:
>>>> The issue isn't with the parentheses, but with the behavior of the
>>>> array = 1..8
>>> --
>>> Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>>
>> You're getting closer.  It's correct that #to_a does not transform  
>> the
>> range into an array.  In Ruby, methods that change the object they're
>> called on are usually marked with a !, like #sort! on Array (sorts  
>> the
>> array in place) or #capitalize! on String (uppercases the first  
>> letter
>> in place).  Otherwise you can usually expect to get a new object  
>> back.
>>
>> Here's a snippet that uses () to build the array but still doesn't
>> work:
>>
>> array = (1..8)    # Create a Range object, give it the name "array"
>> array.to_a        # Call the method "to_a" on the Range, get back an
>> Array, but
>>                   # don't put it anywhere
>> puts array[1]     # Message not understood, because "array" is the
>> original Range.
>>
>> It just occurred to me that you might also be confused about what's
>> happening in the
>> first line of your working example.
>>
>> array = (1..8).to_a
>>
>> The assignment to "array" is done _last_.  So this reads as "Create a
>> new Range from 1 to 8, send it the message 'to_a', then store the
>> result of all of that in 'array'", not "Create a new Range from 1 to
>> 8, store that in 'array', then send it the message 'to_a'".
>>
>> Just out of curiosity, is this your first programming language, or if
>> not what is your background?  The issues you're encountering are
>> things that you'll run into in many languages, Ruby just isn't quite
>> as verbose in having them :-)
>
> My background i have a degree in computer information systems and have
> been studying things like this for going on 4 years now, i got a 3.12
> gpa in school and i have studied the syntax of many languages but for
> some reason i just cant ever seem to get anywhere with it, its getting
> really frustrating and i am starting to think that maybe i am mentally
> retarded literally.

My favorite programming teacher in high school had a saying he  
probably used daily, "Man I hate computers."  ;)

It's really a different way of thinking that takes some getting use  
to.  Don't be too hard on yourself.  We all went through this  
adjustment period.

James Edward Gray II