From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2008-01-05T01:25:00+09:00
Subject: Re: iterating over array of variables - can't change t   hem?

On 04.01.2008 17:06, AJS wrote:
> title="Title"
> subtitle="Subtitle"
> body="Body"
> [title,subtitle,body].each {|item| item.downcase!}
> 
> This successfully sets the original variables to "title", "subtitle",
> "body"
> 
> BUT
> 
> [title,subtitle,body].each {|item| item=""}
> 
> has no effect.
> 
> Why doesn't this work? How can I make it work?

It does not work because you assign to "item" which is a local variable 
in the block.  And since you do not change string objects in the Array 
you do not see any change.  In your case you should change the original 
object, e.g.

[title,subtitle,body].each {|item| item.replace ""}
[title,subtitle,body].each {|item| item.sub! /.*/, ""}

More generally you can also change the array via assignment by doing

an_array.map! { "" }

But this again won't change the objects referenced by "title" etc.

HTH

	robert