what does :: do in this case?

[petermichaux]

Hi

This is in the Rails acts_as_list module but I think is a general Ruby
question. I don't understand the syntax of the ::#{self.name}
statement. I haven't seen :: without something preceding it. I think I
understand what this method enables the plugin to do: use the class
name in which the module is mixed.

Thanks,
Peter



module ActiveRecord
module Acts
module List

def acts_as_list_class
::#{self.name}
end

end
end
end

 

[Austin Ziegler]

This is in the Rails acts_as_list module but I think is a general Ruby
question. I don't understand the syntax of the ::#{self.name}
statement. I haven't seen :: without something preceding it. I think I
understand what this method enables the plugin to do: use the class
name in which the module is mixed.

Unless that's in a section of string code to be evaled, that's
actually a syntax error. (The #{} syntax is only valid in strings).

However, if you do:

::File

You mean specifically that you want the File constant visible at the top le=
vel.

-austin