From: Dave Thomas <Dave@...>
Date: 2000-12-22T16:10:03+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:7943] Re: defined? problem?

Kevin Smith <sent@qualitycode.com> writes:

> Not being a language designer, I would expect:
> 
> something if condition
> 
> to be absolutely identical in behavior to:
> 
> if condition
>   something
> end
> 
> That is, I would think the if-modifier would just 
> be an alternate way of formatting the same code. 
> Apparently that's not the case here.

Remember that Ruby creates a local variable when it first sees an
assignment to it. The assignment does not have to be executed.

The two options above differ in that in one the condition textually
precedes the 'something' and in the other it follows it. Variables
first assigned to in the 'something' will therefore be available to
the condition in the modifier form, but not in the conventional form.


Dave