From: Robert Dober <robert.dober@...>
Date: 2009-01-03T00:10:36+09:00
Subject: Re: What does 'Monkey Patching' exactly Mean in Ruby?

On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 1:42 PM, David A. Black <dblack@rubypal.com> wrote:

> I'll put in a plug for what I believe is by far the safest way to
> extend core functionality, namely #extend.  A classic case is the
> desire to have #gsub! not return nil when the string doesn't change.
>
>  module MyGsubBang
>    def gsub!(*args, &block)
>      super(*args, &block) || self
>    end
>  end
>
>  str = "abc".extend(MyGsubBang)
This indeed is a very sensible and elegant way to do things.

The true werewolf of dynamic extension (I am happy with MP but there
seems to be a consensus against that term...) however is this case

# first I am using what I have just learned from David :-P
module VersionIndependentInstanceMethods
   def instance_methos *args, &blk
      super.map{ |mn| mn.to_sym }
   end
end
Class.include Version...

class WhatEverOrMaybeEvenACoreClass
   if instance_methods.include? :xxx then
     raise IDoNotKnowWhatToDoError, "No I really don't"
   else
     def xxx ....
     end
  end
 end

Any insights on IDoNotKnowWhatToDoError?

Cheers
Robert
-- 
It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the
dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any
longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but
the world as it will be ... ~ Isaac Asimov