From: Jean-Hugues ROBERT <jean_hugues_robert@...>
Date: 2002-06-13T19:25:55+09:00
Subject: Re: Empowering Symbols

Hello,

-- Nikodemus suggested:
   The symbols as lvalues idea

:m = x

I agree about the aroma. What about the sound of it:
   "assign x to my m"
or
   "assign x to m, which is a local variable"
?

-----
About Empowering Symbols, some idioms of mine (if I may):

Optional parameter that deal with nil well
   def a( opt = :None )
     case opt
     when xxx
     when yyy
     when nil
     when :None
     end
   end

Orderless optional parameters
   def a( opt1 = :Default,  opt2 = :Default )
     opt1 = something1 if opt1 == :Default
     opt2 = Something2 if opt1 == :Default
     xxx
   )
   a()
   a(my_thing)
   a( :Default, my_thing)

Localization/Substitution/Skin/Style
   def msg( x )
     x = $MSG[x] || x.to_s()
     xxx
   end
   if french? then
     $MSG[:World] = "le Monde"
   end
   p msg( :Hello)
   p msg( ", ")
   p msg( :World)

Complex return values
   def humm()
     return :OK if xxx
     return :Delayed if xx
     return :nil if xxx
     return xxx if xxx
     return :Failure if xxx
   end
   class Kernel
     def fail?(    s ) s == :Failure end
     def succeed?( s ) s != :Failure end
   end
   foo = v if succeed? v = obj.humm

Is there some repository of such "Styles" ?

BTW: My Ruby Source Code HTML pretty printer displays
   table( :Width => "100")
as
   table( Width: "100")

Yours,

Jean-Hugues


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