From: Stephan Dale <ruby-forum@...>
Date: 2007-07-30T02:57:17+09:00
Subject: rdoc and virtual attributes

I've been trying to get rdoc to document virtual attributes as though
they weren't virtual. The solution seems to be to use an attr_reader /
attr_writer as an anchor for the documentation with the :nodoc: modifier
on the getter / setter methods, like so:

class ClassName

  # Documentation for virtual_var.
  attr_writer :virtual_var

  def virtual_var # :nodoc:
    # "get" virtual_var
  end

  def virtual_var=(whatever) # :nodoc:
    # "set" virtual_var
  end

end

Doing this results in rdoc documenting the virtual attribute alongside
the normal attributes and not documentating the virtual attribute getter
/ setter methods. So, to the reader, the fact that the attribute is
virtual is completely hidden.

The main problem with this approach seems to be that it places a greater
responsibility on the programmer to ensure that there is no mismatch
between what a ClassName instance reports its variable to be and what
the getter method says it is.

1. Are there any other potential problems with using this approach?

2. Is there a better way to do it?
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