[Ruby] eval question

[Ali Rizvi]

On 4/30/07, Aaron Patterson <aaron at tenderlovemaking.com> wrote:
>
> My brain may be dead today, so hopefully the community can help.  :-(
>
> In this code, 'easy_lover' is defined, but for some reason
> 'phil_collins' is not.  First, why is that?  Second, can I make it so?
> You can have Easy Lover without Phil!
>
>   eval(<<END
>     phil_collins = 'awesome'
>     def easy_lover
>       "She'll get a hold on you believe it"
>     end
>   END
>   )
>
>   puts easy_lover
>   puts phil_collins # Error!


Just as I suspected you have a scoping problem.

Your variable (phil_collins) is limited in scope within the eval while your
method is in the main/kernel scope which lives on after the eval while
variable seizes to exist beyond that scope.

The following would work:

  eval(<<END
    phil_collins = 'awesome'
    def easy_lover
      "She'll get a hold on you believe it"
    end
    puts phil_collins
  END
  )
  puts easy_lover

Hope this helps.
Ali

> --
> Aaron Patterson
> http://tenderlovemaking.com/
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