From: Matthew Kerwin <lists@...>
Date: 2013-04-12T13:38:50+09:00
Subject: Re: using an instance variable inside a method

ernie n. wrote in post #1105353:
> Why can I access p[6] without the "@" within the class?  I've run this
> in pry/irb and the p array looks the same regardless how I reference it
> - either @p or p.  What's up here?

`@p` references the instance variable, and bare `p` is a method call.

`attr_accessor :p` defines a method called `p` which returns `@p` *

Thus, your `p[6]..` code is parsed as a method call `(self.p)[6]..`,
which is legal because that method (self.p) exists.

---

* note: it also defines a method called `p=` which assigns to `@p`, so
you can use `p = []` instead of `@p = []` if you want. C.f. attr_reader
and attr_writer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5046831/why-use-rubys-attr-accessor-attr-reader-and-attr-writer

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