odd error

[Roger Pack]

irb(main):006:0> {}.merge {:a => 3}
SyntaxError: compile error
(irb):6: syntax error, unexpected tASSOC, expecting '}'
{}.merge {:a => 3}

???
{}.merge({:a => 3}) works, though. Is this a grammar problem?

 

[Bob Hutchison]

irb(main):006:0> {}.merge {:a => 3}
SyntaxError: compile error
(irb):6: syntax error, unexpected tASSOC, expecting '}'
{}.merge {:a => 3}

???
{}.merge({:a => 3}) works, though. Is this a grammar problem?

Ambiguity I guess.

It is taking the {:a => 3} as a block rather than as a hash argument
(merge is defined to allow that). The parenthesis resolves the
ambiguity.

Cheers,
Bob