From: Phillip Gawlowski <cmdjackryan@...>
Date: 2008-05-16T14:20:21+09:00
Subject: Re: A Couple of Questions Regarding Ruby Style

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Michael W. Ryder wrote:

| The first is when casting is it preferred to use Integer(x) or x.to_i?
| Being from a C background the first is more obvious to me as it states
| that I am converting x to an Integer.  The second has its place when
| chaining several changes to a variable but I can't see it as being
clearer.

#to_i should be preferred. It's way more commonly used in Ruby code than
Integer(x), and it is, IMO, more readable: 'x to integer'.

| The second involves the initialization method for a class.  I am making
| it so that the .new method will accept Integers, Floats, Strings, and
| Rational numbers.  Should I be doing this, or should I require that all
| the converting be done before calling new?

Depends. If it is a class that isn't exposed, you should convert before
you initialize the class. Otherwise, handle the conversion yourself.
That's how I'd approach it.

|  If I allow any type of
| Numeric, or String representation, is it acceptable to have the method
| call other methods for some of the conversions?

Yes.

| I am learning a lot about Ruby in this project, and it seems that I am
| constantly finding new things to add to it, and would like to code it in
| the accepted style.

The most accepted style is the style you are comfortable with. Sooner or
later, you'll join the Dark Side^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^HRuby way of things, by
reading code, etc.

Which will help with finding out what the general style is, too. Read
code, and look at how others do things. :)

And welcome to Ruby.

- --
Phillip Gawlowski
Twitter: twitter.com/cynicalryan
Blog: http://justarubyist.blogspot.com

Zmodem has bigger bits, softer blocks, and tighter ASCII.
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