From: Sam Roberts <sroberts@...>
Date: 2004-03-20T06:41:54+09:00
Subject: Re: Defining methods outside classes

Wrote Imobach Gonz�lez Sosa <imodev@softhome.net>, on Sat, Mar 20, 2004 at 05:48:14AM +0900:
> Hi all,
> 
> I've got a little curiosity about defining methods. As far as I know (and
> maybe I'm wrong) functions doesn't exist in Ruby... right? Ruby only have
> methods.

It's a method of Object:

irb(main):001:0> def foo; end
=> nil
irb(main):002:0> Object.methods
=> ["send", "name", "class_eval", "object_id", "autoload?", "new",
  ......
"display", "foo", ">=", "respond_to?", "instance_method", "<=",
           ^^^^^^
"const_defined?", "instance_of?"]
irb(main):003:0> 

You are in the context of an object of class Object, so you can call foo
without specifying a receiver, so it looks like a "function", but its a
method of your class.

This has got to be a FAQ, check the FAQ at ruby-lang.org.

Cheers,
Sam


-- 
Sam Roberts <sroberts@certicom.com>