From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2012-08-17T23:50:49+09:00
Subject: Re: :symbol vs CONSTANT choice

On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 11:37 PM, Charles Hixson
<charleshixsn@earthlink.net> wrote:
> I have a list of about 12 items that I wish to repeatedly store as part of a
> record in a file.  The obvious way to do this is to define a bunch of
> constant terms with values [1 .. 12].  But when I want to use them in the
> program, symbols would be more convenient.  Is there a better way to do this
> than just defining the constants, and using a pair of functions to convert
> to and from symbols?

There are some approaches to do enums in Ruby out there, e.g.
http://code.dblock.org/how-to-define-enums-in-ruby
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/75759/enums-in-ruby
http://www.lesismore.co.za/rubyenums.html

You'll find plenty more with your favorite search engine.

Other than that the two function approach probably works as well.  Or
you use two Hashes for both directions and not two functions.

Kind regards

robert

-- 
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