Adding to an array question

ruby-talk
1

I need to add a string to the end of an array count number of times. I
was wondering if I could get some advice on the prefered way to do it
in Ruby.

@bucket is the array

def add_person(count, name)
@bucket += Array.new(count, name)
end

or some other ideas

def add_person(count, name)
count.times {@bucket << name }
end
# or some variation of looping

Personally, I like the adding a new array to the @bucket array. I
realize (at least I assume) that it creates a temporary Array, but I
think it is more understandable?

Thoughts?
Thanks, I'm just learning Ruby
-Corey

···

--
http://www.coreyhaines.com

2

Corey Haines wrote:

I need to add a string to the end of an array count number of times. I
was wondering if I could get some advice on the prefered way to do it
in Ruby.

@bucket is the array

def add_person(count, name)
@bucket += Array.new(count, name)
end

or some other ideas

def add_person(count, name)
count.times {@bucket << name }
end
# or some variation of looping

Personally, I like the adding a new array to the @bucket array. I
realize (at least I assume) that it creates a temporary Array, but I
think it is more understandable?

Thoughts?
Thanks, I'm just learning Ruby
-Corey

def add_person(name, count=1) # I assume adding once as a default is
rather safe
  @bucket.concat(Array.new(count) { name.dup }) # a) this will create a
new string object everytime
  @bucket.concat(Array.new(count, name) # b) this will use the *same*
string object everytime
end

Use either a) or b). Be aware that with b) if you do e.g.
@bucket.last.upcase!, it will reflect on all slots that contain the same
object.
As to why I prefer this concat solution over array +=: it doesn't create
throw away objects everytime.

Regards
Stefan

···

--
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/\.

3

2 cents:

count.times {@bucket << name }

Looks more readable to me.
Mario

4

Thanks for the tips, Stefan. I like your tip on doing .dup, as well.

Thanks again!

-Corey

···

On 8/18/07, Stefan Rusterholz <apeiros@gmx.net> wrote:

Corey Haines wrote:
> I need to add a string to the end of an array count number of times. I
> was wondering if I could get some advice on the prefered way to do it
> in Ruby.
>
> @bucket is the array
>
>
> def add_person(count, name)
> @bucket += Array.new(count, name)
> end
>
> or some other ideas
>
> def add_person(count, name)
> count.times {@bucket << name }
> end
> # or some variation of looping
>
> Personally, I like the adding a new array to the @bucket array. I
> realize (at least I assume) that it creates a temporary Array, but I
> think it is more understandable?
>
> Thoughts?
> Thanks, I'm just learning Ruby
> -Corey

def add_person(name, count=1) # I assume adding once as a default is
rather safe
@bucket.concat(Array.new(count) {name.dup }) # a) this will create a
new string object everytime
@bucket.concat(Array.new(count, name) # b) this will use the *same*
string object everytime
end

Use either a) or b). Be aware that with b) if you do e.g.
@bucket.last.upcase!, it will reflect on all slots that contain the same
object.
As to why I prefer this concat solution over array +=: it doesn't create
throw away objects everytime.

Regards
Stefan
--
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/\.

--