From: "David A. Black" <dblack@...>
Date: 2009-12-08T19:59:18+09:00
Subject: Re: convert string into a variable object

HI --

On Tue, 8 Dec 2009, Steve Wilhelm wrote:

> Toon Willems wrote:
>> On 07 Dec 2009, at 21:35, Ad Ad wrote:
>>
>>>> to do.
>>>
>>> doesnt require the  creation of any sort of a container variable.
>>> --
>>> Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>>>
>>
>> A much better way to do this would be to store the city names in a hash.
>> your code would then be:
>>
>> File.open(@file). each do |x|
>>   @hash[x] = true
>> end
>
> Would it not be better to convert to symbols? That is:
>
> File.open(@file). each do |x|
>   @hash[x.strip.to_sym] = true
> end
>
> if @hash[:toronto]
> or
> if @hash[:"palo alto"]
>
> or
>
> if @hash[city.to_sym]

In addition to the garbage collection issue that David M. pointed out,
symbols seem an odd choice to me for city names. I always think of
symbols as appropriate for label-like functionality and values taken
from a limited set. Strings are a better choice for general
representation of text.


David

-- 
David A. Black
Senior Developer, Cyrus Innovation Inc.
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