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Antoine Boillot
10,466 PointsWhy do I have to type [def name=(str)] in the following method example ?
Hi all,
I am currently following the Ruby Foundations.
I noticed a syntax that Jason is using while creating a method in the Modules section, that I cannot remember having seen in the Method one.
Here is an example :
def name=(str)
@name = str
end
Why is this "=" used for ?
I would have type the following (even though I tested it and it's not working) :
def name(str)
@name = str
end
Generally speaking, when should I use one or the other of the following syntaxes ?
def method_name(item)
# OR
def method_name=(item)
Thanks a lot for your help ! :)
Cheers,
3 Answers
Maciej Czuchnowski
36,441 PointsIt's a so-called syntactic sugar. Other important keywords here are, as Ethan mentioned - setter and getter methods. These links will probably help you more than my attempt at explaining this:
http://rubylearning.com/satishtalim/ruby_syntactic_sugar.html
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8737421/trying-to-learn-understand-ruby-setter-and-getter-methods
Ethan Lowry
Courses Plus Student 7,323 PointsThat syntax is used for setter functions - you don't actually see it written very often because usually in Ruby getters and setters are created for you via helpers like attr_accessor.
It simply means that you're able to do person.name = 'Antoine', for example.
Antoine Boillot
10,466 PointsCrystal clear. Thanks a lot.