From: Brian Candler <B.Candler@...>
Date: 2003-05-30T23:21:52+09:00
Subject: Re: local variable and local variable in block behave differently

On Fri, May 30, 2003 at 09:49:40PM +0900, Seb Clediere wrote:
> I am sligthly surprised by this behaviour:
> 
> if false
>   b = ""

From this point, variable "b" is defined (even though the assignment is
never executed, the interpreter has *parsed* an assignment)

> else
>   1.times { b = "b" }
> end

This assigns to variable 'b'. Because it already exists outside of the
block, it assigns to this pre-existing variable, instead of bringing a
temporary variable into existence just for the the lifetime of the block.

> 1.times do
>   if false
>     a = ""
>   else
>     1.times { a = "a" }
>   end
>   puts defined? a # => local-variable(in-block)
>   puts a          # => nil
> end

OK, that's weird... I would have thought that the assignment to 'a' in the
inner block would have bound to the 'a' brought into existence in the outer
block, but it hasn't.

Cheers,

Brian.