From: RoRNoob <rornoob@...>
Date: 2008-04-17T02:30:06+09:00
Subject: Re: Noob Questions [arrays]

On Apr 16, 9:55 am, RoRNoob <rorn...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Apr 16, 3:25 am, Ron Fox <f...@nscl.msu.edu> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Approach it as follows;
> > 1. A loop that is not a .each loop that reads in user input
> >     until the input is an empty line (that is size 0 after being chomped)
> > 2. Then sort thearray.
> > 3. Then a .each iteration through thearrayto output the contents.
>
> > RF
>
> > RoRNoob wrote:
> > > Be warned - I'm new to Ruby and programming in general, so I'm sure
> > > this will be a trivial question for most of you.
>
> > > I'm currently working through the exercises in the book Learn to
> > > Program by Chris Pine. At the end of each chapter Chris has a little
> > > programming problem that the reader is asked to solve. I've been able
> > > to follow along just fine up until tonight.
>
> > > The problem in question is at the end of Chapter 8 (Arrays and
> > > Iterators): I have to write a program that asks the user to type in as
> > > many words as they want (one word per line, continuing until they just
> > > press Enter on an empty line) and then repeat the words back to them
> > > in alphabetical order.
>
> > > The program lives in a .rb file and is executed and ran from the
> > > terminal.
>
> > > Here is my code:
>
> > > alphalist = []
> > > alphalist.each do |item|
> > >   puts 'type words one at a time and I will alphabetize them for you.'
> > >   alphalist.pushgets.chomp
> > > end
> > > puts alphalist.sort
>
> > > When I run the .rb file, nothing happens. Any help is appreciated!
>
> Cool - I will give that a try - thanks for your time everyone!

OK progress:

alphalist = ['']
input = ''

while input != 'bye'
  puts 'type words one at a time and I will alphabetize them for you.'
  input = gets.chomp
  if input != 'bye'
    alphalist.push input
  end
end

puts alphalist.sort


-----

My problem is that I can't figure out how to make it exit the loop if
the user submits a 0 length string. The only way I've been able to get
it to work is to watch for 'bye' - which I like better than the empty
string, but the problem from the book calls for an empty string loop
exit