From: Bertram Scharpf <lists@...>
Date: 2009-02-13T02:22:13+09:00
Subject: Re: * before string

Hi,

Am Freitag, 13. Feb 2009, 01:51:24 +0900 schrieb Jonatas Paganini:
> class NamedArg
>     def initialize(s)
>       @name, @type = *s.split(':')
>     end
> end
> 
> Why and where use * before string?

Actually, you use the asterisk in front of an array. The asterisk
makes the array to a list of arguments. Examples:

  ary.push [ :a, :b]     # pushes an array
  ary.push *[ :a, :b]    # pushes two symbols

You may even do this:

  done = %(exit quit bye)
  case str.downcase
    when *done then return
  end

In your example, the conversion will be done automatically when
the right side is an array. When I code, I write the asterisk
explicitly every time to remind myself what I meant.

Bertram


-- 
Bertram Scharpf
Stuttgart, Deutschland/Germany
http://www.bertram-scharpf.de