Dynamically named variables or Constants

ruby-talk
1

Hi,

for each user I need to create and call
a dynamically named _GLOBAL_ variable (or Constant)
labeled with the user name.
To make it clear what I mean:

# begin "Ruby Pseudocode"
   user_name = "tom"
   $#{user_name}_dyn_var = "/path/to/nirvana"
# end "Ruby Pseudocode"

Is there a way to do that?
How would I call that new variable '$#{user_name}_dyn_var' ?
I tried "Module::const_set":

# begin Ruby
   constant_name = "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR"
   constant = self::class::const_set(constant_name, "/path/to/nirvana")
# end Ruby

but couldn't find a way to call "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR".

you may ask why I either need a global var or a Constant:
I am using the "live_tree" plugin
from http://www.epiphyte.ca/code/live_tree.html
to create a file system browser.
As far as I can tell,
the plugin requires either a global var or a Constant
to initialize the file system model.

If someone has tried this plugin before
and found another solution, let me know.
The author is not responding to my mails.

Thanks for your input,
Tom.

2

Alle domenica 6 maggio 2007, Tom V. ha scritto:

Hi,

for each user I need to create and call
a dynamically named _GLOBAL_ variable (or Constant)
labeled with the user name.
To make it clear what I mean:

# begin "Ruby Pseudocode"
   user_name = "tom"
   $#{user_name}_dyn_var = "/path/to/nirvana"
# end "Ruby Pseudocode"

Is there a way to do that?
How would I call that new variable '$#{user_name}_dyn_var' ?
I tried "Module::const_set":

# begin Ruby
   constant_name = "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR"
   constant = self::class::const_set(constant_name, "/path/to/nirvana")
# end Ruby

but couldn't find a way to call "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR".

you may ask why I either need a global var or a Constant:
I am using the "live_tree" plugin
from LiveTree | epiphyte.ca
to create a file system browser.
As far as I can tell,
the plugin requires either a global var or a Constant
to initialize the file system model.

If someone has tried this plugin before
and found another solution, let me know.
The author is not responding to my mails.

Thanks for your input,
Tom.

I'm not sure about what you mean when saying 'a way to
call "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR". If you mean how to get the value of the
constant, then you can use const_get, which works like const_set:

self.class.const_get( constant_name)
=> "/path/to/nirvana"

I hope this helps

Stefano

3

Hi Stefano,

thanks for your advice.
However, when I try to call "self.const_get"
from another method (but same class), I get an error:

--> NameError (uninitialized constant MyClass::TOM_VAR)

Here is how I created 'TOM_VAR' (simplified):

def xyz_method

    constant_name = "#{@user.name.upcase}_VAR"
    logger.info("#{constant_name}")
    # output: TOM_VAR

    constant = MyClass.const_set(constant_name, "/path/to/nirvana")
    logger.info("#{constant}")
    # output: /path/to/nirvana

    session[:constant_name] = constant_name

end

In the following method I get the error:

def abc_method

    @constant = MyClass.const_get(session[:constant_name])
    # ERROR

end

Thanks for helping me out
Tom.

···

On Sun, 6 May 2007 20:21:53 +0900 Stefano Crocco <stefano.crocco@alice.it> wrote:

Alle domenica 6 maggio 2007, Tom V. ha scritto:
> Hi,
>
> for each user I need to create and call
> a dynamically named _GLOBAL_ variable (or Constant)
> labeled with the user name.
> To make it clear what I mean:
>
> # begin "Ruby Pseudocode"
> user_name = "tom"
> $#{user_name}_dyn_var = "/path/to/nirvana"
> # end "Ruby Pseudocode"
>
> Is there a way to do that?
> How would I call that new variable '$#{user_name}_dyn_var' ?
> I tried "Module::const_set":
>
> # begin Ruby
> constant_name = "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR"
> constant = self::class::const_set(constant_name, "/path/to/nirvana")
> # end Ruby
>
> but couldn't find a way to call "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR".
>
> you may ask why I either need a global var or a Constant:
> I am using the "live_tree" plugin
> from LiveTree | epiphyte.ca
> to create a file system browser.
> As far as I can tell,
> the plugin requires either a global var or a Constant
> to initialize the file system model.
>
> If someone has tried this plugin before
> and found another solution, let me know.
> The author is not responding to my mails.
>
> Thanks for your input,
> Tom.

I'm not sure about what you mean when saying 'a way to
call "#{user_name.upcase}_VAR". If you mean how to get the value of the
constant, then you can use const_get, which works like const_set:

self.class.const_get( constant_name)
=> "/path/to/nirvana"

I hope this helps

Stefano

4

Alle domenica 6 maggio 2007, Tom V. ha scritto:

Hi Stefano,

thanks for your advice.
However, when I try to call "self.const_get"
from another method (but same class), I get an error:

--> NameError (uninitialized constant MyClass::TOM_VAR)

Here is how I created 'TOM_VAR' (simplified):

def xyz_method

constant\_name = &quot;\#\{@user\.name\.upcase\}\_VAR&quot;
logger\.info\(&quot;\#\{constant\_name\}&quot;\)
\# output: TOM\_VAR

constant = MyClass\.const\_set\(constant\_name, &quot;/path/to/nirvana&quot;\)
logger\.info\(&quot;\#\{constant\}&quot;\)
\# output: /path/to/nirvana

session\[:constant\_name\] = constant\_name

end

In the following method I get the error:

def abc_method

@constant = MyClass\.const\_get\(session\[:constant\_name\]\)
\# ERROR

end

Thanks for helping me out
Tom.

I can't understand why you get an error. I modified your code just a bit (by
the way, what exactly is session?) to give the two methods some context and
put it in a script:

class MyClass

  def initialize
    @user = 'tom'
    @session = {}
  end

  def xyz_method
  
      constant_name = "#{@user.upcase}_VAR"
  
      constant = MyClass.const_set(constant_name, "/path/to/nirvana")
      
      @session[:constant_name] = constant_name
  
  end
  
  def abc_method
  
      @constant = MyClass.const_get(@session[:constant_name])
      puts @constant
  
  end
end

c = MyClass.new
c.xyz_method
c.abc_method

This works. Since I don't know anything about rails and the live tree plugin,
I may have missed something related to them. You can try using
MyClass.constants in the abc_method to get a list of the constants defined
for MyClass; this could give you some hints about what's happening.

Stefano

5

Hi Stefano,

it's not working for me.
MyClass.const_get always returns a NameError.
Trying:

MyClass.const_defined?(session[:constant_name])

always returns 'false'
(except for the method where constant_name was defined...).

My guess is that 'session' cannot store Constants created the way I do it.
However, storing other large and complex objects is not a problem.

'session' is the standard Rails hash-like collection
using key/values pairs to store information
during subsequent requests from the same browser.
'@session' is deprecated now.

Thanks for your input.
Tom.

My Ruby version is:
ruby 1.8.5 (2006-12-04 patchlevel 2) [i686-linux]

···

On Sun, 6 May 2007 22:05:42 +0900 Stefano Crocco <stefano.crocco@alice.it> wrote:

I can't understand why you get an error. I modified your code just a bit (by
the way, what exactly is session?) to give the two methods some context and
put it in a script:

class MyClass

  def initialize
    @user = 'tom'
    @session = {}
  end

  def xyz_method
  
      constant_name = "#{@user.upcase}_VAR"
  
      constant = MyClass.const_set(constant_name, "/path/to/nirvana")
      
      @session[:constant_name] = constant_name
  
  end
  
  def abc_method
  
      @constant = MyClass.const_get(@session[:constant_name])
      puts @constant
  
  end
end

c = MyClass.new
c.xyz_method
c.abc_method

This works. Since I don't know anything about rails and the live tree plugin,
I may have missed something related to them. You can try using
MyClass.constants in the abc_method to get a list of the constants defined
for MyClass; this could give you some hints about what's happening.

Stefano

6

Hi Stefano,

it's not working for me.
MyClass.const_get always returns a NameError.
Trying:

MyClass.const_defined?(session[:constant_name])

always returns 'false'
(except for the method where constant_name was defined...).

My guess is that 'session' cannot store Constants created the way I do it.
However, storing other large and complex objects is not a problem.

You guess is in the territory, but it's not really about session's
capability. if xyz_method is a controller action for instance, and
abc_method is a controller action, there's nothing guaranteeing per se
that you're state is going to be persisted between user interactions
with the web app. What you really need to store in session is the name
of the constant, AND it's value. and then you need to const_set it at
the beginning of every method where you make use of this live tree
thing.

···

On 5/6/07, Tom V. <ruby-talk@hinv.org> wrote:

>

7

Hi,
Creating a new constant from session data still doesn't work.
As you said I now store both constant_name and constant_value in session.

However, when trying to test the new Constant (const_defined?),
I get a NameError (see below).

Also, when printing it, its value is printed, not its name:
"{@new_constant}" --> "/path/to/nirvana".
How do I access its name?

Maybe you find an error in code.
Or maybe you know of another way
to create dynamically named variables..?

class AbcController < ApplicationController

  before_filter :get_constants, :except => :define_constants

  def define_constants
    @user = "tom"
    constant_name = "#{@user.upcase}_PATH"
    logger.info("#{constant_name}")
    # output: TOM_PATH

    constant_value = self::class::const_set(constant_name, "/path/to/nirvana")
    logger.info("#{constant_value}")
    # output: /path/to/nirvana

    session[:constant_name] = constant_name
    session[:constant_value] = constant_value
  end

  def get_constants
    if session[:constant_name]
      @constant_name = session[:constant_name]
      logger.info("#{@constant_name}")
      # output: TOM_PATH

      if session[:constant_value]
        @constant_value = session[:constant_value]
        logger.info("#{@constant_value}")
        # output: /path/to/nirvana

        @new_constant = self::class::const_set(@constant_name, @constant_value)
        logger.info("#{@new_constant}")
        # output: /path/to/nirvana

        evaluate_constant = self::class::const_defined?(@new_constant)
        # output: NameError (wrong constant name /path/to/nirvana)

      end
    end
  end

end

Thanks for your input,
Tom.

···

"Logan Capaldo" <logancapaldo@gmail.com> wrote:

You guess is in the territory, but it's not really about session's
capability. if xyz_method is a controller action for instance, and
abc_method is a controller action, there's nothing guaranteeing per se
that you're state is going to be persisted between user interactions
with the web app. What you really need to store in session is the name
of the constant, AND it's value. and then you need to const_set it at
the beginning of every method where you make use of this live tree
thing.

8

>
> You guess is in the territory, but it's not really about session's
> capability. if xyz_method is a controller action for instance, and
> abc_method is a controller action, there's nothing guaranteeing per se
> that you're state is going to be persisted between user interactions
> with the web app. What you really need to store in session is the name
> of the constant, AND it's value. and then you need to const_set it at
> the beginning of every method where you make use of this live tree
> thing.
>

Hi,
Creating a new constant from session data still doesn't work.
As you said I now store both constant_name and constant_value in session.

However, when trying to test the new Constant (const_defined?),
I get a NameError (see below).

Also, when printing it, its value is printed, not its name:
"{@new_constant}" --> "/path/to/nirvana".
How do I access its name?

Maybe you find an error in code.
Or maybe you know of another way
to create dynamically named variables..?

class AbcController < ApplicationController

  before_filter :get_constants, :except => :define_constants

  def define_constants
    @user = "tom"
    constant_name = "#{@user.upcase}_PATH"
    logger.info("#{constant_name}")
    # output: TOM_PATH

    constant_value = self::class::const_set(constant_name,
"/path/to/nirvana")
    logger.info("#{constant_value}")
    # output: /path/to/nirvana

    session[:constant_name] = constant_name
    session[:constant_value] = constant_value
  end

  def get_constants
    if session[:constant_name]
      @constant_name = session[:constant_name]
      logger.info("#{@constant_name}")
      # output: TOM_PATH

      if session[:constant_value]
        @constant_value = session[:constant_value]
        logger.info("#{@constant_value}")
        # output: /path/to/nirvana

        @new_constant = self::class::const_set(@constant_name,
@constant_value)
        logger.info("#{@new_constant}")
        # output: /path/to/nirvana

        evaluate_constant = self::class::const_defined?(@new_constant)

should be self::class:const_defined?(@constant_name) of course.
@new_constant is gonna hold the value of the constant, not the name.

        # output: NameError (wrong constant name /path/to/nirvana)

···

On 5/6/07, Tom V. <ruby-talk@hinv.org> wrote:

"Logan Capaldo" <logancapaldo@gmail.com> wrote:

      end
    end
  end

end

Thanks for your input,
Tom.

9

Hi Logan,

thanks for the hint.
However that did not get me too far.

So now I use simple instance variables
and the session storage utility.

But I always get a strange error that let me to the idea
of using constants in the first place...

Although this is a rails project using a plugin,
the error I get is from using std ruby libraries.
so maybe you can enlighten me...
Please have a quick look:

Constructor for creating a new "live_tree":

class MyController
  # ...
  live_tree :fstree, :find_item_proc =>
            Proc.new { |x| FileSystemItem.new(x, @user_path) }
  # ...
end

class FileSystemItem
  def initialize(path, root)
    @path = path
    log << "root = #{root} - class = #{root.class}\n"
    # output:
    # root = /user/path/ - class = String

    @root = File.expand_path(root)
    # ERROR:
    # TypeError (can't convert nil into String):
    # .//app/models/file_system_item.rb:17:in `expand_path'
    # .//app/models/file_system_item.rb:17:in `initialize'
    # .//app/controllers/my_controller.rb:452:in `new'
  end
end

"root" contains the user path and is of type String.
However, when calling File.expand_path,
I get the NameError.

When using a constant or a global variable
this error does not occur...

Any ideas?

Thanks for your time,
Tom.

···

On Mon, 7 May 2007 03:53:12 +0900 "Logan Capaldo" <logancapaldo@gmail.com> wrote:

> @new_constant = self::class::const_set(@constant_name,
> @constant_value)
> logger.info("#{@new_constant}")
> # output: /path/to/nirvana
>
> evaluate_constant = self::class::const_defined?(@new_constant)

should be self::class:const_defined?(@constant_name) of course.
@new_constant is gonna hold the value of the constant, not the name.

10

Hi Logan,

thanks for the hint.
However that did not get me too far.

So now I use simple instance variables
and the session storage utility.

But I always get a strange error that let me to the idea
of using constants in the first place...

Although this is a rails project using a plugin,
the error I get is from using std ruby libraries.
so maybe you can enlighten me...
Please have a quick look:

Constructor for creating a new "live_tree":

class MyController
  # ...
  live_tree :fstree, :find_item_proc =>
            Proc.new { |x| FileSystemItem.new(x, @user_path) }
  # ...
end

class FileSystemItem
  def initialize(path, root)
    @path = path
    log << "root = #{root} - class = #{root.class}\n"
    # output:
    # root = /user/path/ - class = String

    @root = File.expand_path(root)
    # ERROR:
    # TypeError (can't convert nil into String):
    # .//app/models/file_system_item.rb:17:in `expand_path'
    # .//app/models/file_system_item.rb:17:in `initialize'
    # .//app/controllers/my_controller.rb:452:in `new'
  end
end

"root" contains the user path and is of type String.
However, when calling File.expand_path,
I get the NameError.

When using a constant or a global variable
this error does not occur...

Any ideas?

That seems really weird. Maybe ruby is not being as clear with reporting the
error as it could be. At this point I'd try using a debugger to get to the
bottom of it.

Thanks for your time,

···

On 5/7/07, Tom V. <ruby-talk@hinv.org> wrote:

Tom.

11

ok, thanks.
do you happen to know a decent ruby debugger..?
haven't found one so far.
I am using linux.
Tom.

···

On Mon, 7 May 2007 20:26:10 +0900 "Logan Capaldo" <logancapaldo@gmail.com> wrote:

That seems really weird. Maybe ruby is not being as clear with reporting the
error as it could be. At this point I'd try using a debugger to get to the
bottom of it.

12

My weapon of choice when I want to pull out the big guns is
ruby-debug, it's available as a gem.

···

On 5/7/07, Tom V. <ruby-talk@hinv.org> wrote:

On Mon, 7 May 2007 20:26:10 +0900 > "Logan Capaldo" <logancapaldo@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> That seems really weird. Maybe ruby is not being as clear with reporting the
> error as it could be. At this point I'd try using a debugger to get to the
> bottom of it.
>

ok, thanks.
do you happen to know a decent ruby debugger..?
haven't found one so far.
I am using linux.

--
Rick DeNatale

My blog on Ruby
http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/