From: Dossy <dossy@...>
Date: 2002-05-14T21:00:58+09:00
Subject: Re: cgi params api

On 2002.05.14, David Alan Black <dblack@candle.superlink.net> wrote:
> > The problem is when cgi["key"] wants to return an array.
> > Then "foo" == cgi["key"] will fail since you're comparing
> > a String to an Array.
> 
> But see above...
> 
> > > cgi["key"] return first value as String.
> 
> ...so the string comparison would work.

cgi["key"] could only returns a String if there's only one value
for "key" -- otherwise, you have to return some other object type
that knows all of the values but only returns the first one when
asked (through #to_s, or whatever).

That's why I'm using the CGI::Param class that's a subclass of
String.  Otherwise, string comparisons don't work if you don't
explictly use #to_s.

In other words, if the params were:

  foo=bar&foo=baz
  
  cgi['foo'].to_s == "bar"              # => true
  cgi['foo'].to_a == ["bar", "baz"]     # => true
  cgi['foo'] == "bar"                   # => false !!!

Making CGI::Param subclass of String makes it possible
for the third case to be true, which is exactly what I've
been looking for.

-- Dossy

-- 
Dossy Shiobara                       mail: dossy@panoptic.com 
Panoptic Computer Network             web: http://www.panoptic.com/ 
  "He realized the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own
    folly -- then you can let go and quickly move on." (p. 70)