From: Rick DeNatale <rick.denatale@...>
Date: 2008-01-05T05:11:46+09:00
Subject: Re: Checking an array for an item

On Jan 4, 2008 11:25 AM, Giles Bowkett <gilesb@gmail.com> wrote:
> > How come this code doesn't return "true" for the following?
> >
> > x = [1,2,3]
> >
> > puts(x.include?(Fixnum))

> To get what you want the best approach is map, or one of a few
> functions similar to map, such as collect or inject:

Well, if you're trying to find out if the array contains at least one
Fixnum then this isn't really the best way.  Instead I'd use

      x.any? {|obj| Fixnum === obj }

which returns a single boolean, and only looks at as many elements of
the array as it needs to.

Alternately one could use

     x.find {|obj| Fixnum === obj }

which will return either the first Fixnum in the array, or nil if
their isn't one, which can be used the same way as a boolean value in
almost all cases.

-- 
Rick DeNatale

My blog on Ruby
http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/