Feature #13560
Module#attr_ methods return reasonable values
Status:
Open
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
-
Target version:
-
Description
Hi,
I'm suggesting all Module#attr_
methods should return array of generated method names, instead of useless nil
.
Make them more concise across Module
API, corresponding to logic of Module#define_method
, allow pass as arguments to visibility public/protected/private
methods etc.
Concerned method names:
- attr_accessor
- attr_reader
- attr_writer
Demonstration example:
class LookBeforeYouLeap api_meths = attr_accessor :ruby_api # api_meths == [:ruby_api, :ruby_api=] private *api_meths # Or you can pass generated methods directly # protected *attr_reader(:ruby_papi, :ruby_cext) end # Assignment to temporary local variable `api_meths` does not pollute class'es # namespace.
I'm aware attr_* methods also create corresponding instance variables, but Module
API has no use for them, unlike created accessor methods.
In current state, where attr_* methods return nil
, it makes class definition more prone to errors, especially at code refactoring:
class ExistingWay attr_accessor :ruby_api # result is nil # Need write method names manually private :ruby_api, :rby_api= # throws NameError exception when executed # Any change of generated accessor methods names require manual rewrite # at each visibility method call also. end
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