From: Sam Roberts <sroberts@...>
Date: 2004-02-13T05:07:22+09:00
Subject: Re: Return value of foo=

Quoteing gavin@refinery.com, on Fri, Feb 13, 2004 at 04:59:58AM +0900:
> The question is, is it possible to change the return value of a foo= 
> method to NOT be the argument?

Sure, lots of builtin classes do it, for example.

It works as you expect:

  [ensemble] ~/p/ruby $ irb
  irb(main):001:0> class Foo; def bar=(b); @bar = b; self; end; def bar; @bar; end; end 
  nil
  irb(main):002:0> f = Foo.new
  #<Foo:0x16ded4>
  irb(main):003:0> f.bar = 9
  #<Foo:0x16ded4 @bar=9>
  irb(main):004:0> f.bar
  9

So, I guess  the question is why it don't work for you... and I have no
idea. :-)

Sam

> If the answer is no, well, I can sort of see why (consistency of 
> expectations for something like:    bar = obj.foo+=3) but I also feel 
> like...if it's a method, it's a method, whatever syntax is invoking it. 
> Shouldn't I be able to control the return value?
> 
> Please see the code below.
> 
> ########################
> 
> class MutableTime
>         ...
>         def date
>                 @t.day
>         end
>         def date=(n)
>                 @t+=(n-date)*DINS
> 		self # < == LOOK HERE!
>         end
>         ...
> end
> 
> ########################
> 
> puts t3 = MutableTime.new("2/8/2004 2:37:13pm")
> => Sun Feb 08 14:37:13 MST 2004
> 
> puts t3.date
> =>8
> 
> puts t3.date=11
> => 11  # <== GRR! I want the object instance to be the return value
> 
> puts t3.date
> => 11
> 
> puts t3
> => Wed Feb 11 14:37:13 MST 2004
>