[ruby-talk:5446] Re: Class instance variables?

Hi,

In message "[ruby-talk:5424] Class instance variables?"
    on 00/10/12, [e-mail] <[e-mail]> writes:

|The FAQ talks about "class instance variables" which are members
|of the class object which is an instance of class Class. These
|are not visible within instance methods.

Note "class instance variables" are mere instance variables which
belong to the objects happen to be classes.  Get it?

The reason we use the expression "class instance variables" is we (not
Ruby) tend to feel strong relationship between a class and its instances.

|1. How can these be accessed except in the strange realm that is
|inside the class and between the method definitions?

The receiver is a class in this STRANGE realm.  The receiver is an
instance with in a body of an instance method.

|2. Why do these exist? Are they really useful?

Probably not useful.  They exist because classes are objects.

|3. For variables, we have an "instance," a "class," and a "class
|instance." For methods, we have only "instance" and "class." Is
|there conceivably such a thing as a "class instance method"? Do
|we know it in Ruby by another name, or is it simply not allowed,
|or is the idea simply not meaningful? This sort of thing confuses
|me a lot. :) Sorry...

We just have "instance variables" and "class variables" (along with
local/global variables and constants, but that's another story).

							matz.