From: Tom Cloyd <tomcloyd@...>
Date: 2009-04-17T21:00:17+09:00
Subject: simple module method call question

I'm making no progress on this, and so clearly have missed something basic.

I have a class which requires a file containing module Utils_db. There 
is another module 'required' in the program which instantiates this class.

I then successfully access in the class two constants - one from each 
module.

Utils::MENU
Utils_db::MENU

Now the trouble starts.

Right after accessing the constants, I try to call a method in one of 
the modules -

eval("Utils.orph_chk")  <= I will be replacing the string with a 
construction using a variable, in the final version

This always fails. I've tried every trick I can think of, but always I 
get this:

../lib/setnet/SN.rb:579:in `proc_command': undefined method `orph_chk' 
for Utils:Module (NoMethodError)
        from ../lib/setnet/SN.rb:229:in `eval'
        from ../lib/setnet/SN.rb:579:in `proc_command'
        from ../lib/setnet/SN.rb:229:in `user_interface'
        from ../lib/setnet/SN.rb:146:in `manage'
        from ../lib/setnet/SN.rb:68:in `startup'
        from ./setnet:28

Can someone suggest why I'm not able to get to this method?

Here's the relevant Module, in abbreviated form:

module Utils

  MENU = [
  ["orph_chk", "searches nodes and links for references which cannot be 
resolved, and reports them"],
  ["tree_count","starting with node 'root', locates descendants of each 
node, displaying count at each level"],
  ["showtree","starting with node 'root', locates and displays 
descendants of each node"],
  ["tree_orphans","locates links which cannot be traced to the root 
node, and displays them"]
  ]
 
  def orph_chk
    puts 'orph_chk'
  end
 
end

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I cannot quite figure out 
what to try next.

Thanks,

Tom