From: Mark Probert <probertm@...>
Date: 2002-02-20T03:54:23+09:00
Subject: advice on dispatch tables


I am playing around with using a dispatch table rather
than a huge case statement.  I end up with code that
looks something like this:


  class Bob

     def initialize
         @dispatch = Hash.new
         @dispatch['a'] = 'do_a'
         @dispatch['b'] = 'do_b'
     end

     def do_a
         puts "--> this is an a"
     end

     def do_b
         puts "--> this is an b"
     end

     def dispatch(ref=nil)
         if @dispatch[ref]
             eval @dispatch[ref]
         else
             puts "--> unknown ref (#{ref})"
         end
     end
   end


(In the "real" version, the hash is more complicated
and there is processing to be done on the 'ref', but
the basic idea is here.)

Is there a "better" way of doing this? A more
ruby-ish way?

Thanks for the feedback.




-mark.