From: Raul Parolari <raulparolari@...>
Date: 2007-11-12T13:02:29+09:00
Subject: Re: name of a variable, at runtime

Colin Summers wrote:
> This seems harder than the usual thing I've been tripping on (and
> finding answers in the pickaxe or online).
> 
> I have an object: human. It has parts: human.hand human.foot.
> 
> How can I say this:
>     fred = human.new
>     fred.hand  = fred.foot = fred. leg = 'flesh'
>     fred.knee = 'plastic'
>     fred.head = 'steel'
>     parts = [hand,foot,leg,knee]
>     parts.each do |part|
>         puts "part #{part} is made of " + fred.{part}.to_s
>     end # with each part
> 
> Am I close?
> 
> Thanks,
> --Colin

I think that 'object.send(method)' gives you what you want:

class Human
  attr_accessor :hand,  :foot,  :leg, :knee, :head
end

fred = Human.new
fred.hand  = fred.foot = fred. leg = 'flesh'
fred.knee = 'plastic'
fred.head = 'steel'
parts = %w[hand foot leg knee]

parts.each do |part|
 puts "part #{part} is made of " + fred.send(part)
end

Raul
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