From: ptkwt@...1.aracnet.com (Phil Tomson)
Date: 2003-03-15T10:23:23+09:00
Subject: Overloaded operator interprets block as hash


I'm trying to define an operator that takes a block, like:

a << {puts "Action!"}

but the part in '{}' gets interpreted as a hash.  Here's the sample code:
class Foo
   def initialize(&proc)
     @closure = proc
   end

   def assign(newVal = Proc.new)
     @closure = newVal
   end

   def <<(newVal = Proc.new)
     @closure = newVal
   end
   def callit
     @closure.call
   end
end

f= Foo.new { puts "Action!" }
f.callit #=> "Action!"
f.assign { puts "New Action!" }
f.callit #=> "New Action!"
f<< { puts "Latest Action!" }

SyntaxError: compile error
(irb):26: parse error
f << { puts "Latest Action!" }
                            ^
        from (irb):26

.... it seems as though the block being passed to '<<' is getting 
interpreted as a hash while it isn't for the 'assign' method.  Is there 
anyway around this?


Phil