From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2010-01-18T18:27:20+09:00
Subject: Re: what does this mean?

2010/1/18 Ammar Ali <ammarabuali@gmail.com>:
> Ruby Newbee wrote:
>>
>> For this statement:
>>
>> @speaks_english ||= @name.size > 6
>>
>> does it mean something like below?
>>
>> if @name.size > 6
>>    @speaks_english ||= @name.size
>> end
>>
>>
>> Even if I guess that correctly, I'm still surprised why ruby can write
>> like that way.
>
> More like:
>
> if @speaks_english.nil? or @speaks_english == false
>  if @name > 6
>   @speaks_english = true
>  else
>   @speaks_english = false
>  end
> end

I'd shorten that to

unless @speaks_english
  @speaks_english = @name.size > 6
end

"@name.size > 6" is a boolean expression and it does return "true" or
"false" already.

Note that in this case this would probably a better solution because
it does not reevaluate if @name.size <= 6:

@speaks_english = @name.size > 6 if @speaks_english.nil?

Kind regards

robert

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