From: Jean-Hugues ROBERT <jean_hugues_robert@...>
Date: 2002-03-26T23:46:30+09:00
Subject: Why is '?' OK in a method name and not OK in a variable name ?



Hello,

Sorry if this is a beginner question. Following the Principle Of Least
Surprise (POLS?) I tried to write:

class CacheEntry
   attr_reader :dirty?
   def initialize()
     @dirty? = false  # Syntax error
   end
   xxxx other stuff
end

I expected to be able to then write
   if some_cache_entry.dirty? then xxxx

But that does not work, because apparently '?' cannot be included in a 
variable's name.

As a result I ended up writing

class CacheEntry
   def initialize()
     @is_dirty = false
   end
   def dirty?
     return @is_dirty
   end
end

Is there a better way ?

Thanks,

Jean-Hugues

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Web:  http://hdl.handle.net/1030.37/1.1
Phone: +33 (0) 4 92 27 74 17


_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com