From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2009-10-14T23:38:14+09:00
Subject: Re: Hey you! Stop using relative requires!

2009/10/14 Intransition <transfire@gmail.com>:
> I recently came across two different programs that had this line in a
> bin/ executable:
>
>  $LOAD_PATH.unshift(File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/../
> lib"))
>
> This stuff makes me sad. The use of RubyGems is masking some bad
> practices here. The above code would not work with a traditional site
> installation.

I am not sure I understand why this is an issue.  If it is in an
executable I write locally then I know where libraries reside (of
course, I would set RUBYLIB appropriately but for special tests or so
this might be necessary nevertheless).

If it is an executable which is part of a distribution, paths might be
as well known.

The only situation which could be problematic is an executable which
is deployed on arbitrary systems without modification.  Hm...

> I imagine this sort of thing has probably trickled down form Rails,
> where programmers are accustom to deploying apps rather than releasing
> them.
>
> So here are the general rules (that I can think of off the top of my
> head):
>
> * Don't mess with the $LOAD_PATH. PERIOD.
> * Use relative lookup only when you must, eg. using bundled HTML
> templates.
> * Any relative paths you do use must remain within the confines of
> their main directory (eg. lib/)
> * Don't use a relative lookup for any ,rb or .so/.dll loading. PERIOD.
> * Oh, and it should never need to necessary to require 'rubygems'.
>
> These rules do not apply to building, eg. your Rakefile, running tests
> and such. But try to follow them as much as possible anyway.

As far as I can see we would need at least two different sets of rules

1. requiring in library files
2. requiring in "main" files (executables)

Maybe more.

Kind regards

robert


PS: Why the changed name?  Are you moving?

-- 
remember.guy do |as, often| as.you_can - without end
http://blog.rubybestpractices.com/