From: Sean Chittenden <sean@...>
Date: 2002-05-14T04:48:57+09:00
Subject: Re: cgi params api

> > So then the question is: what's a special case of a multi-value
> > array in Ruby?  A one-value array, or a string?

Answer: it depends on the context.  I think the one saving grace from
Perl is the wantarray() function.

> Here's the CGI params:
> 
>   foo=bar&quux=one&quux=two&quux=three

apr = Http::Param.new(r)	# I really dislike the name CGI
apr['foo'].inspect		# 'bar'
apr['foo'].type			# String
apr['quux'].inspect		# ['one','two','three']
apr['quux'].type		# Http::Param::Array

And the questionable behavior.

apr['quux'].to_s		# 'one'

or:

apr['quux'].to_s		# raises an exception until defined by
				# the developer


I'm leaning toward the former.  What do you guys think?  No matter
what, there's going to have to be some code that will test for single
vs. multiple values.  The catch here is, however, that in 99% of the
cases, if the developer wants one element, they're going to get one
element back in the form of a string.  If they want one or more,
they're going to write their code to handle more than one.  The above
fits nicely into the POLS.  Because a String object has a to_a()
method, it's safe for the folks who want bullet proof code to write
the following:

for i in apr['quux'].to_a
  # do whatever
end

Are there any scenarios that would fail badly with the above?  -sc

-- 
Sean Chittenden