From: Ian Macdonald <ian@...>
Date: 2003-07-04T19:47:00+09:00
Subject: Re: purpose of replace method

On Fri 04 Jul 2003 at 19:35:21 +0900, Kent Dahl wrote:

> For String#replace, this means that you can change a text you have
> spread to several places without doing a reassignment again. This can be
> handy if you have it a zillion places. (I.e. consider _one_ replace
> versus N assignments.)

Ah, I see. So:

irb(main):001:0> foo = bar = "string"
=> "string"
irb(main):002:0> foo = "new"
=> "new"
irb(main):003:0> bar
=> "string"
irb(main):004:0> foo = bar = "string"
=> "string"
irb(main):005:0> foo.replace("new")
=> "new"
irb(main):006:0> bar
=> "new"

OK, that makes sense. replace is useful when multiple pointers point to
the same object.

Ian
-- 
Ian Macdonald               | Never try to keep up with the Joneses; they
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