From: rlf <Ron.Foster@...>
Date: 2009-05-23T04:40:19+09:00
Subject: sending extend and include to your own class definition



hello.

I'm trying to learn the ruby way of doing things, and ran across some
code that  I'm finding hard to understand.  It seems to be sending
extend and include messages of inner modules to the class def itself.

I've boiled the sample down to something like this.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

class C

  module ClassMethods
    def c1
      'Class method c1'
    end

    def c2
      'Class method c2'
    end

  end

  send :extend, ClassMethods

  module InstanceMethods
    def i1
      'Instance method i1'
    end

    def i2
      'Instance method i2'
    end


  end

  send :include, InstanceMethods

end

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think I must be missing something.

Isn't the receiver of the send message the Class itself? If not, who
is the receiver?

If it is, what does this technique offer compared to just declaring
the class and instance methods in the first place?

I'd really appreciate some clarification about this style.

TIA.