From: timr <timrandg@...>
Date: 2011-01-04T01:35:28+09:00
Subject: Re: little tool for learning the ruby lookup path

Hi Robert,
Thanks for your massive improvements, and insights. I didn't like
modifying the object during the investigation, but didn't know about
obj#method(m).owner. I can't believe I hadn't seen that before. Your
version is beautiful.
Thanks for helping,
Tim



On Jan 3, 1:35 am, Robert Klemme <shortcut...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 10:05 AM, timr <timra...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I have been looking at the process ruby utilizes for method lookup,
> > and wrote the code below. It has proven very enlightening to me. I am
> > sharing. It allows obj#method_table to be called where one normally
> > uses obj#methods. It inserts markers (conspicuous method names) into
> > the method array that delimit the source for the listed methods up to
> > that point so that it is clear how the method array is composed. See
> > the test case at the bottom for clarification.
>
> > The most thrilling thing I have done this entire year is to monkey-
> > patch methods and see them hop to the appropriate section of the
> > method_table and disappear from the previous position.
>
> IMHO monkey patching should not be general practice and stay limited
> to particular cases because of the dangers it creates.
>
> > I'd be interested to hear any feedback interested rubyists have about
> > the approach or if anyone has suggestions to refactor the code.
>
> What I don't like about your approach is that you _modify_ what you
> investigate.  Analyzing where a method comes from should not change
> any of the classes involved.
>
> Then, I'd define this method as an instance method of Object because
> you want to investigate methods of a particular instance (even if it
> is a class or module).
>
> Finally, for classifying things a Hash seems a much better choice than an Array.
>
> I'd rather do something like this:
>
> require 'pp'
>
> class Object
>   def method_table
>     Hash.new {|h,k| h[k] = []}.tap do |tbl|
>       methods.each do |m|
>         tbl[method(m).owner] << m
>       end
>     end
>   end
> end
>
> s = "foo"
> def s.bar;123;end
>
> pp s.method_table
>
> Kind regards
>
> robert
>
> --
> remember.guy do |as, often| as.you_can - without endhttp://blog.rubybestpractices.com/