Asp Forum - code quiz #1 - comp.lang.ruby

Kenneth Ll

9/16/2007 11:46:00 AM

a = Array(11..20)

class Foo

attr_reader :a

a = 123

def initialize(i)
@a = Array(1..10)
end

def change()
puts
puts "Inside of change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
a[2] = 111111 # intentionally not using @a

end

def print_it
puts
p "Printing Object"
p @a
end

end

foo = Foo.new(3)
foo.print_it

foo.change
foo.print_it

foo.a[3] = 222222
foo.print_it

puts
p "Global var"
p a

-----------------------------------------------

if you like, you can write down the output of the above code, like in a
quiz...

i will post the answer at the end of the post.

but is this how to interpret the program?

1) you don't need to use @a[2] = 111111 in change() but can use a[2] =
111111 because a is now the method name... it returns an array, and
therefore the instance method can modify the content of the array.

2) foo.a[3] = 222222 can actually modify the array like (1) above... so,
even though you are just using reader method, other routines can
actually modify the content of an object. the moral of the story is to
not return an array? because an array class is not protecting its
content -- any code can change its content.

3) what is the "a = 123" near the line "class Foo" near the top of the
program? What is it, it is not local, not class variable, not instance
variable, not global... so what is it? the program is not complaining
the existence of it.

NOW HERE IS THE OUTPUT OF THE PROGRAM ABOVE.
MAKE SURE YOU DON'T WANT TO TRY AND WRITE DOWN THE ANSWER FIRST
BEFORE LOOKING AT THE ANSWER:

------------------------------------------

C:\rails\depot>ruby test_class02.rb

"Printing Object"
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Inside of change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Printing Object"
[1, 2, 111111, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

"Printing Object"
[1, 2, 111111, 222222, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

"Global var"
[11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]
--
Posted via http://www.ruby-....

4 Answers

dblack

9/16/2007 12:13:00 PM

SpringFlowers AutumnMoon

9/16/2007 1:14:00 PM

On Sep 16, 5:13 am, dbl...@wobblini.net wrote:

> It's definitely a potential issue. You can protect against it by
> returning a dup of the array:
>
> class C
> attr_writer :a
> def a
> @a.dup
> end
> end

can using just the reader but not the writer protect the data better?

> > 3) what is the "a = 123" near the line "class Foo" near the top of the
> > program? What is it, it is not local, not class variable, not instance
> > variable, not global... so what is it? the program is not complaining
> > the existence of it.
>
> It is local, actually. It's a local variable scoped to the outer level
> of the class definition body. It disappears inside method definitions,
> because "def" always starts a completely new local scope.

so is there much use of the local variable in the class level scope?
can you even have code / loop doing things... but when does it get
executed?

--
Posted via http://www.ruby-....

SpringFlowers AutumnMoon

9/16/2007 1:19:00 PM

> It's definitely a potential issue. You can protect against it by
> returning a dup of the array:
>
> class C
> attr_writer :a
> def a
> @a.dup
> end
> end

I remember in C++, when an object is returned, it is always the dup...

while in Java, when an object is returned, it is always just the pointer
to the object, so it is the same object... and change to it will affect
the original.

and if it is in C++, if an array is returned, it is also just the
pointer to the array... so the data is not protected from change.

--
Posted via http://www.ruby-....

dblack

9/16/2007 2:10:00 PM

comp.lang.ruby

code quiz #1

Kenneth Ll

dblack

SpringFlowers AutumnMoon

SpringFlowers AutumnMoon

dblack

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