From: Joel VanderWerf <vjoel@...>
Date: 2008-03-06T08:07:02+09:00
Subject: Re: Is there a difference between load "file" and eval content

Damjan Rems wrote:
> I am just wondering is there any differnece between these two
> techniques.

#load uses the $LOAD_PATH, just as #require does:

irb(main):001:0> load "fileutils.rb"
=> true
irb(main):002:0> FileUtils
=> FileUtils

However, #load doesn't check if something is already loaded:

irb(main):003:0> load "fileutils.rb"
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/fileutils.rb:93: warning: already initialized 
constant OPT_TABLE
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/fileutils.rb:1163: warning: already initialized 
constant S_IF_DOOR
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/fileutils.rb:1513: warning: already initialized 
constant METHODS
=> true

$ qri load
------------------------------------------------------------ Kernel#load
      load(filename, wrap=false)   => true
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Loads and executes the Ruby program in the file _filename_. If the
      filename does not resolve to an absolute path, the file is searched
      for in the library directories listed in +$:+. If the optional
      _wrap_ parameter is +true+, the loaded script will be executed
      under an anonymous module, protecting the calling program's global
      namespace. In no circumstance will any local variables in the
      loaded file be propagated to the loading environment.

-- 
       vjoel : Joel VanderWerf : path berkeley edu : 510 665 3407