From: Paul Brannan <paul@...>
Date: 2002-02-20T04:14:11+09:00
Subject: Re: advice on dispatch tables

On Wed, Feb 20, 2002 at 04:06:11AM +0900, Matt Armstrong wrote:
> Mark Probert <probertm@nortelnetworks.com> writes:
> 
> >          @dispatch['a'] = 'do_a'
> >          @dispatch['b'] = 'do_b'
> 
> I'd use symbols instead of strings here:
> 
>           @dispatch['a'] = :do_a
>           @dispatch['b'] = :do_b

Using symbols is definitely faster than using strings.  As an
alternative, use method() instead:

            @dispatch['a'] = method(:do_a)
            @dispatch['b'] = method(:do_b)

>           if @dispatch[ref]
>               send @dispatch[ref]
>           else

            if meth=@dispatch[ref] then
              meth.call()
            end

This allows your dispatch table to include anonymous functions (procs)
and other objects that respond to call(), in addition to methods.

Paul