From: Tom Cloyd <tomcloyd@...>
Date: 2008-06-16T16:58:28+09:00
Subject: how to stop gsub from returning nil

I'm trying to use gsub to do a number of transformations in an array of 
strings. I find that when a particular transformation does NOT happen, 
because the searched-for substring is not there, gsub returns nil. This 
effectively ruins my output. I don't want nothing. I want the string 
that's being processed, returned with or without any transformations. Is 
there any alternative to testing for a return of nil before calling 
gsub, so as to avoid the wiping out of my string? I've looked for 
something to use other than String::gsub, and have not found anything.

Code:

filein = open( "{whatever}" )
fi = filein.readlines
delta = [ ["</p>", ''], ["</h1>", ''] ]
results = fi.collect do |x|
  delta.each do |y|
    debugger          
    x.gsub!(y[0], y[1])
  end
end

t.

-- 

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Tom Cloyd, MS MA, LMHC
Private practice Psychotherapist
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