From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2011-03-26T19:35:36+09:00
Subject: Re: critique please

On 26.03.2011 04:12, Charles Oppenheimer wrote:
> Folks, the first ruby I've written that I actually needed (I shortened
> the actual strings I was comparing, which were very long).  So
> thought I'd ask, before I write the next one - is there a more elegant
> way to do this, or conventions that are usually used?
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> globalcampaigns = "item1, item2, item3, item4, item5"
> premiercampaigns = "item1, item2"
> basiccampaigns = "item3, item4"
>
>
> globalarray = globalcampaigns.split(",")
> premarray = premiercampaigns.split(",")
> basicarray = basiccampaigns.split(",")
>
> #globalarray.each {|elt| puts elt}
>
> combo = premarray | basicarray
> diff = globalarray - combo
>
> diff.each {|elt| puts elt}

If those are large I'd use Set:

require 'set'

globalcampaigns = "item1, item2, item3, item4, item5"
premiercampaigns = "item1, item2"
basiccampaigns = "item3, item4"

res = globalcampaigns.split(/,/).to_set.
   subtract(premiercampaigns.split(/,/).to_set).
   subtract(basiccampaigns.split(/,/).to_set)

puts res.to_a

Note that there are some issues with regard to whitespace.

You could also do

gc = globalcampaigns.split(/\s*,\s*/).to_set

[premiercampaigns, basiccampaigns].each do |str|
   str.scan /[^,]+/ do |item|
     gc.delete item.strip
   end
end

puts gc.to_a

Kind regards

	robert

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