From: dblack@...
Date: 2003-08-25T20:03:19+09:00
Subject: Re: Wierd problem reading fields in a tab-delimitted row...

Hi --

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003, Kurt Euler wrote:

> David-
>

> Thanks very much for your comments. -1 does indeed make a more
> promising result. I'm 1/2 way home on this problem...
>
> A follow-up question if I may: How can I modify the if statement so
> that the output returns "no_string" if the string is blank. Test
> somehow for length = 0? Can you suggest the syntax?

There are a few ways -- the first is probably the nicest:

  str.empty?
  str == ""
  str.size.zero?

and others.  But I think you're already doing what you're asking how
to do:

> > 		if field[4] != ""
> > 			puts "some_string"
> > 			puts field[4]
> > 		else
> > 			puts "no_string"
> > 			puts field[4]
> > 		end

If field[4] is empty (""), the 'else' is executed and "no_string" is
printed.  As I mentioned before, this might be a bit misleading, since
an empty string is different from no string (such as nil).


David

-- 
David Alan Black
home: dblack@superlink.net
work: blackdav@shu.edu
Web:  http://pirate.shu.edu/~blackdav