From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2009-02-13T02:28:47+09:00
Subject: Re: * before string

On 12.02.2009 17:51, Jonatas Paganini wrote:
> Hi, I'm looking for cucumber/generators and didn't understand why use
> '*' before string on initialize method.
> I put it on irb and the result is the same.
> 
> class NamedArg
>     attr_reader :name
> 
>     def initialize(s)
>       @name, @type = *s.split(':')
>     end
> end
> 
> Why and where use * before string?

It's not before a String but before an Array.  You can see for yourself 
by firing up IRB and experimenting a bit with this.  The short story is 
that it's called "splash operator" IIRC and it will distribute the Array 
across all parameters or local variables.  Other example uses are

def foo(a,b,c)
   puts a,b,c
end

foo(1,2,3)
ar = [1,2,3]
foo(*ar)
foo(ar) # -> error because you do not provide enough arguments

HTH

Kind regards

	robert