From: Jean-Hugues ROBERT <jean_hugues_robert@...>
Date: 2004-04-22T06:08:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Creating bang methods

At 02:34 22/04/2004 +0900, you wrote:
>On reflection, perhaps I have not been clear enough. I would like to create
>bang methods of some math functions (mostly abs), but I don't know how to
>modify the reciever in place because the value of self cannot be changed.
>It's not really important that I be able to write these bang methods, but I
>would very much like to understand how one would do it.
>
>Class Numeric
>     def abs!
>         ??
>     end
>end
>
>~Jon Hurst

Some objects provide a .replace(): strings, hashes...
I don't know about numerics but they look like immutable to me,
so you may need a Facade delegating most of the work to the
immutable object. I think there is a delegator.rb that may help,
if delegate can be changed on the fly (I haven't checked)

Jean-Hugues