Ignoring Exceptions

[Lin Wj]

i am using hpricot to parse xml and place it into an object named 'x'

some_variable = (x.at("some_element_name").innerHTML
if x.at("some_element_name"))

problem is i have a TON of"some_element_name" to assign
and i dont want to do a if check for everyone of them

is there anyway to do a straight

some_variable = x.at("some_element_name").innerHTML

and contain them within a begin end and ignore all noMethodExceptions ?
i am ok with having some_variable = null

*noMethodException is raised when i call a .innerHTML method on an
element that doesnt exist.

if i do a rescue exception , it catches it and thats the end of it , it
stops executing.

any ideas ?

 

[Lars Christensen]

i am using hpricot to parse xml and place it into an object named 'x'

some_variable = (x.at("some_element_name").innerHTML
                 if x.at("some_element_name"))

problem is i have a TON of"some_element_name" to assign
and i dont want to do a if check for everyone of them

is there anyway to do a straight

some_variable = x.at("some_element_name").innerHTML

any ideas ?

Make a function that does the work for you?

def html_from_element(x, name)
elem = x.at(name)
return elem && elem.innerHTML
end

 

[lasitha]

i am using hpricot to parse xml and place it into an object named 'x'
[... ]

if i do a rescue exception , it catches it and thats the end of it , it
stops executing.

I don't think there's way to rescue an exception, ignore it and then
continue execution _at the statement following the one that blew up_.

Two alternatives you might consider:

1. Create a method that does the if x.at .. check and call that for
each variable you need assigned. If you really prefer a rescue over
the check the method could do that instead.

2. How many variables are we talking about ? I'd consider more than a
handful of them a code 'smell' and think about using a collection. If
you were looping through a collection then begin/rescue/next would do
what you're talking about above.

Cheers,
lasitha