From: Mark Hubbart <discord@...>
Date: 2004-03-04T05:42:08+09:00
Subject: Re: Why do inner methods count in outer scope?


On Mar 2, 2004, at 10:44 PM, Charles Comstock wrote:

> def foo(x)
> 	def bar(n)
> 		n + 1
> 	end
> 	bar(x)
> end
>
> foo(5) # -> 6
> bar(5) # -> 6
>
> Why is bar escaping the scope of foo?  Is this a bug, or an unintended 
> feature?

Intended feature :)

Method definitions are scoped the same way as @variables; the new 
method is added to the current instance. It doesn't matter if you do it 
at the "base level" of the class, or if you stick it ten layers down 
inside blocks of code, it still gets added to the instance.

     class Foo
       def bar
         def quux
           "quux!"
         end
         "defined quux..."
       end
     end
         ==>nil
     f=Foo.new
         ==>#<Foo:0x63300>
     f.methods - Object.new.methods
         ==>["bar"]
     f.quux
     NoMethodError: undefined method `quux' for #<Foo:0x63300>
             from (irb):11
     f.bar
         ==>"defined quux..."
     f.quux
         ==>"quux!"
     f.methods - Object.new.methods
         ==>["bar", "quux"]

--Mark