Class instance method

[Ralph Shnelvar]

Consider this irb session

C:\InstantRails-2.0-win\rails_apps>irb
irb(main):001:0> class M
irb(main):002:1> @w = "ralph"
irb(main):003:1>
irb(main):004:1* def M.v
irb(main):005:2> @w
irb(main):006:2> end
irb(main):007:1>
irb(main):008:1* end
=> nil
irb(main):009:0>
irb(main):010:0* puts M.v
ralph
=> nil
irb(main):011:0> puts M::v
ralph
=> nil


I think I understand M.v but what does M::v mean? Is there a semantic and/or philosophical difference between the two?

 

[John Feminella]

In the case of a method they're approximately the same:

==== begin snippet ====
module M
def self.foo; "foo"; end
end

M.foo
# => "foo"

M::foo
# => "foo"
==== end snippet ====

But sometimes you want to access _constants_, not methods. Then
they're drastically different:

==== begin snippet ====
module M
module Inner; end
end

M::Inner
# => M::Inner

M.Inner
# => NoMethodError: undefined method `Inner' for M:Module
==== end snippet ====

 

[John Feminella]

Also, when I said that they were "approximately" the same, there are a
few exceptions, though you should rarely if ever encounter them if you
stick to Ruby's conventions. One example of a difference between
"M:...)" and "M.(...)":

=3D=3D=3D=3D begin snippet =3D=3D=3D=3D
module M
def self.Foo; "foo"; end
module Foo; end
end

M::Foo
# =3D> M::Foo

M.Foo
# =3D> "foo"
=3D=3D=3D=3D end snippet =3D=3D=3D=3D

The reason you should never encounter this is because it's considered
a violation of the conventions if you don't start methods with a
lowercase letter. That's why we can safely stick to "M:...)" for
referencing namespaces created by methods or classes, and "M.(...)"
for invoking methods.