# \#p is to #inspect as #pp is to?
**URL:** https://rubytalk.org/t/p-is-to-inspect-as-pp-is-to/42628
**Category:** ruby-talk
**Created:** [30 November 2007 06:17 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/p-is-to-inspect-as-pp-is-to/42628 "2007-11-30T06:17:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Daniel\_Sheppard](https://rubytalk.org/u/Daniel_Sheppard)
#### Post date: [30 November 2007 06:17 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/p-is-to-inspect-as-pp-is-to/42628/1 "2007-11-30T06:17:21Z")
> I have this as a lone method, but it seems to me there should already
> be a way to do this with the 'pp' lib. (If not perhaps we could add
> it?)
I believe that pp calls Object#pretty\_print - the source will tell you
more.
Dan.
---
### Author:  [@Michael\_Fellinger1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Michael_Fellinger1)
#### Post date: [30 November 2007 07:01 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/p-is-to-inspect-as-pp-is-to/42628/2 "2007-11-30T07:01:20Z")
> \> I have this as a lone method, but it seems to me there should already
> \> be a way to do this with the 'pp' lib. (If not perhaps we could add
> \> it?)
>
> I believe that pp calls Object#pretty\_print - the source will tell you
> more.
At least since 1.8.6 that method exists.
> **···**
>
> On Nov 30, 2007 3:17 PM, Daniel Sheppard \ wrote:
>
> > Dan.
---
### Author:  [@7rans](https://rubytalk.org/u/7rans)
#### Post date: [30 November 2007 07:17 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/p-is-to-inspect-as-pp-is-to/42628/3 "2007-11-30T07:17:07Z")
I looked at that and didn't see how that would help. As it says...
"To define your customized pretty printing function for your classes,
redefine a method pretty\_print(pp) in the class. It takes an argument
pp which is an instance of the class PP. The method should use
PP#text, PP#breakable, PP#nest, PP#group and PP#pp to print the
object."
Don't see off-hand how that can help easily get a string of what it
would output.
Thanks,
T.
> **···**
>
> On Nov 30, 1:17 am, "Daniel Sheppard" \ wrote:
>
> > \> I have this as a lone method, but it seems to me there should already
> > \> be a way to do this with the 'pp' lib. (If not perhaps we could add
> > \> it?)
> >
> > I believe that pp calls Object#pretty\_print - the source will tell you
> > more.
---
### Author:  [@Michael\_Fellinger1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Michael_Fellinger1)
#### Post date: [30 November 2007 07:58 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/p-is-to-inspect-as-pp-is-to/42628/4 "2007-11-30T07:58:34Z")
Sorry, i had the wrong method in mind, what you want is most likely
Object#pretty\_inspect
Example:
puts (1..30).to\_a.pretty\_inspect
Does that help?
^ manveru
> **···**
>
> On Nov 30, 2007 4:17 PM, Trans \ wrote:
>
> > On Nov 30, 1:17 am, "Daniel Sheppard" \ wrote:
> > \> \> I have this as a lone method, but it seems to me there should already
> > \> \> be a way to do this with the 'pp' lib. (If not perhaps we could add
> > \> \> it?)
> > \>
> > \> I believe that pp calls Object#pretty\_print - the source will tell you
> > \> more.
> >
> > I looked at that and didn't see how that would help. As it says...
> >
> > "To define your customized pretty printing function for your classes,
> > redefine a method pretty\_print(pp) in the class. It takes an argument
> > pp which is an instance of the class PP. The method should use
> > PP#text, PP#breakable, PP#nest, PP#group and PP#pp to print the
> > object."
> >
> > Don't see off-hand how that can help easily get a string of what it
> > would output.
---
### Author:  [@7rans](https://rubytalk.org/u/7rans)
#### Post date: [30 November 2007 12:38 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/p-is-to-inspect-as-pp-is-to/42628/5 "2007-11-30T12:38:11Z")
w00t! w00t!
thanks manveru!
T.
> **···**
>
> On Nov 30, 2:58 am, "Michael Fellinger" \ wrote:
>
> > On Nov 30, 2007 4:17 PM, Trans \ wrote:
> >
> > \> On Nov 30, 1:17 am, "Daniel Sheppard" \ wrote:
> > \> \> \> I have this as a lone method, but it seems to me there should already
> > \> \> \> be a way to do this with the 'pp' lib. (If not perhaps we could add
> > \> \> \> it?)
> >
> > \> \> I believe that pp calls Object#pretty\_print - the source will tell you
> > \> \> more.
> >
> > \> I looked at that and didn't see how that would help. As it says...
> >
> > \> "To define your customized pretty printing function for your classes,
> > \> redefine a method pretty\_print(pp) in the class. It takes an argument
> > \> pp which is an instance of the class PP. The method should use
> > \> PP#text, PP#breakable, PP#nest, PP#group and PP#pp to print the
> > \> object."
> >
> > \> Don't see off-hand how that can help easily get a string of what it
> > \> would output.
> >
> > Sorry, i had the wrong method in mind, what you want is most likely
> > Object#pretty\_inspect
> > Example:
> > puts (1..30).to\_a.pretty\_inspect
> >
> > Does that help?