File::write() complement for File::read()?

ruby-talk
1

Hello,

Why is there not a complementary File::write() method to the
File::read() method? It feels unbalanced to always write the following
code whereas it's so much easier to read a file:

  File.open(path, 'wb') {|f| f << content }

I would like to see this method in the core Ruby API, just as the
Symbol#to_proc() facets method has travelled into the core Ruby API.

Thanks for your consideration.

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2

Allow me to rephrase my question:

It is currently easier to read whole files (via File::read) than to
write whole files (via File::open and passing in a block). This
imbalance can be corrected by adding a File::write method, such as the
following, to the core Ruby API.

  def File.write path, data
    File.open(path, 'wb') {|f| f << data.to_s }
  end

Are there any plans to do this? If not, where can I file a request for
such a change?

Thanks for your consideration.

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3

$ fri File#write
--------------------------------------------------------------- IO#write
      ios.write(string) => integer

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On Jan 31, 2009, at 3:16 AM, Suraj Kurapati wrote:

Allow me to rephrase my question:

It is currently easier to read whole files (via File::read) than to
write whole files (via File::open and passing in a block). This
imbalance can be corrected by adding a File::write method, such as the
following, to the core Ruby API.

def File.write path, data
   File.open(path, 'wb') {|f| f << data.to_s }
end

Are there any plans to do this? If not, where can I file a request for
such a change?

Thanks for your consideration.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Writes the given string to ios. The stream must be opened for
      writing. If the argument is not a string, it will be converted to
      a string using to_s. Returns the number of bytes written.

         count = $stdout.write( "This is a test\n" )
         puts "That was #{count} bytes of data"

      produces:

         This is a test
         That was 15 bytes of data

It's already there. Do you ever just try these things? This method is an instance method.

Your method would be incomplete without a mode. Do you want 'w', 'a', 'wb', etc.?

def your_write(path, data, mode='wb')
   File.open(path, mode) {|f| f.write data }
end

I don't know why you call #to_s on data if you open 'wb'. (IO#write does that for you if what you pass isn't a String.)

-Rob

Rob Biedenharn http://agileconsultingllc.com
Rob@AgileConsultingLLC.com
+1 513-295-4739
Skype: rob.biedenharn

4

Suraj Kurapati wrote:

where can I file a request for such a change?

I filed this feature request on Ruby Issue Tracking System:

http://redmine.ruby-lang.org/issues/show/1081

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5

Rob Biedenharn wrote:

$ fri File#write
[...]
It's already there. This method is an instance method.

I asked for a class method File::write (just like File::read) not an
instance method File#write.

Your method would be incomplete without a mode. Do you want 'w', 'a',
'wb', etc.?

def your_write(path, data, mode='wb')
   File.open(path, mode) {|f| f.write data }
end

Good point.

I don't know why you call #to_s on data if you open 'wb'. (IO#write
does that for you if what you pass isn't a String.)

Thanks for the tip.

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