From: Gavin Sinclair <gsinclair@...>
Date: 2004-05-12T08:57:05+09:00
Subject: Re: Proposal: Object#send(nil) -> self

On Wednesday, May 12, 2004, 2:38:53 AM, Robert wrote:

> # how about
> date_str = date.to_s.send(date_colour_msg) if date_colour_msg

Of course there are plenty of alternatives, but that one (and the one
below) seem more verbose than necessary.

> OTOH you can do

>   date_str = case Date.today - date
>     when 0 then date.to_s.red
>     [...]

> The more OO way would be to use a Hash:

> COLORS = {
>   0 => :red
>   ...
> }
> COLORS.default = default_color

> date_str = COLORS[Date.today - date]

I'm not so sure about that.  That's an data-based approach; no active
objects in sight.  You can't use a range for a key in that particular
hash either.

>> That example's not too contrived, is it?

> I found a bit irritating that you send :red, :yellow etc. to a String.

That's the way ANSI highlighting works in whatever RAA package I was
using two years ago when that example was current.

I had a minor "need" for this behaviour yesterday, but the example
above is perhaps more easily understood.

Cheers,
Gavin