Scan returning matchdata

ruby-talk
1

Wouldn't it be more useful if String#scan returned an array of MatchData?
Assuming that back compatibility should be preserved here, could we at least
get an alternate method that does so, say #mscan ?

Thanks,
T.

2

Hi --

Wouldn't it be more useful if String#scan returned an array of MatchData?

I don't think so; most of the time, for me anyway, the array elements
are directly useful, and if they were returned embedded in a MatchData
object, I'd just end up having to dig them out.

Assuming that back compatibility should be preserved here, could we at least
get an alternate method that does so, say #mscan ?

It's pretty easy:

  def mscan(str,re)
    m =
    str.scan(re) { m << $~ }
    m
  end

David

···

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004, trans. (T. Onoma) wrote:

--
David A. Black
dblack@wobblini.net

3

Hi --

> Wouldn't it be more useful if String#scan returned an array of MatchData?

I don't think so; most of the time, for me anyway, the array elements
are directly useful, and if they were returned embedded in a MatchData
object, I'd just end up having to dig them out.

Right. The only caveat being that an "mscan" can do thinks #scan cannot. So
using it would be better even if it meant slightly more "digging" in common
cases. But having a separate method works just as well for me...

> Assuming that back compatibility should be preserved here, could we at
> least get an alternate method that does so, say #mscan ?

It's pretty easy:

  def mscan(str,re)
    m =
    str.scan(re) { m << $~ }
    m
  end

Bless you, David! Worked like a charm. I had no idea one could do it this way
--quite a relief.

T.

···

On Wednesday 10 November 2004 06:09 am, David A. Black wrote:

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004, trans. (T. Onoma) wrote: