From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2010-11-25T21:37:31+09:00
Subject: Re: instance_eval vs attr_reader

On Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 1:07 PM, Joe Pikachu <nahpr@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi, I'm new in forum; even newer in programming.
> I would like to know what is faster (uses less memory) to retrieve data?
> I use ruby 1.8 series.
>
> my_class.instance_eval(@var) or
> my_class.var #using attr_reader

I guess "my_class" is meant to be an instance and not necessarily a
class.  Btw, there's also #instance_variable_get and
#instance_variable_set.

> My question is based on the fact one have to asign a symbol to use the
> 'attr_reader' type thus creating 'memory leaks', while not in the
> former. But I'm not sure.

If you're concerned with performance you can easily measure it (see
module Benchmark) and can work with hard facts.  However, this would
almost certainly be a micro optimization and since we know that
"premature optimization is the root of all evil" I would first use the
proper approach (i.e. define accessors).

Kind regards

robert

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