From: Sam Smoot <ssmoot@...>
Date: 2007-12-11T21:00:03+09:00
Subject: Re: Dynamically generate a symbol name

On Dec 11, 5:51 am, Max Williams <toastkid.willi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm sure this is simple but i can't work out the syntax - if i want to
> use a bunch of symbols that are named :object0, :object2 ... :object9,
> how can i do something like
>
> 10.times do |n|
>   do_something_with(:object#{n} => "foo")
> end
>
> ie, do the same thing with but pass through a differently named symbol
> each time?
>
> thanks
> max
> --
> Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.

:"object#{n}" is the syntax. Or just "object#{n}".to_sym.

I would avoid doing this though. Symbols aren't meant to represent
infinite variations. They're stored in a Hash internally, so the more
symbols you add, the slower they get.

So a small finite set of symbols is good. To represent environments,
or database names, or even columns. Representing filenames as symbols,
or user_ids, or something similarly large and near as infinite as
makes no difference is a bad idea IMO.

At least if I understand the mechanics of Symbol storage. And I may
not. ;-)