Ruby Syntax Sampler Script

Alright, I got a few different Ruby On Rails applications off the ground with the help of some tutorials, examples, and just plain screwing around. But I came to the scary conclusion that these apps were cool, but I still don't know much about Ruby the language. Rails makes it almost too easy! I only injected a few lines of code here and there based on the samples and tutorials to do things like define the foreign keys to get a selection list instead of text entry box for referenced tables.

So here's my lame attempt at playing with "Ruby proper" -- the language, devoid of frameworks. This is my trashy syntax_sampler.rb script that demonstrates some of the basics of Ruby.

 require 'net/http'
 
 #define a class
 class SyntaxSampler   
   # define a constant
   Dude = "Constants are capitalized. They cannot be declared in methods"
   # the constructor method in Ruby is always "initialize"
   def initialize( name )
     @name = name # instance var starts with at sign
   end
   
   def print_name
     puts @name
   end
   
   # big ugly method
   def dostuff
     print "x = "
     x = 5
     puts x
     print "x + x = "
     puts x + x
     print "x * x = "
     puts x * x
     print "x**x = "
     puts x**x
     print "x/2 is "
     puts x/2
     print "but x/2.0 is "
     puts x/2.0
     names = ['robb', 'paula', 'raina', 'taryn'] #assign array to 'names'
     print "crappers reversed is "
     puts "crappers".reverse
     print "\nPrint the Array: #{names}" # embed values right in print instead of 2 lines
     puts "\nReverse the Array:  #{names.reverse}"
     puts "for methods with no args, parenthesis optional..."
     puts names.reverse()
     print "\nCapitalize Each Array Item: "
     names.each {|name| print "#{name.capitalize} " }
     print "\nUpper case Each Array Item: "
     names.each {|name| print "\n\t - #{name.upcase} " }   
     puts "\n\n'5' as an integer = #{"5".to_i}"
     puts "\n19.0 as a string = #{19.0.to_s}"
     puts "\n'a19' as an integer = #{"a19".to_i}"
     puts "\n'19a3' as an integer = #{"19a3".to_i}"
     puts Dude
     # define a global var
     $wicked = "Global vars start with a dollar sign"
     puts $wicked
   end
   
   def anothermethod
     puts $wicked # make sure that var is really global scope
   end
   
   def mirror( something )
     puts "#{something} #{something.reverse}"
   end
   
   def mirrordefval( something = "dude")
     puts "#{something} #{something.reverse}"
   end
 end
 
 class DiffClass
   def initialize
   end
   
   def rundiff
     puts $wicked # really is global, even across classes
     10.times {print " x "} # everything is an object
     puts
     # use the above "required" module to do something...
     Net::HTTP.start( 'www.ruby-lang.org', 80 ) do |http|
       print( http.get( '/en/LICENSE.txt' ).body )
     end
     
     # shortcut for string arrays, no more pesky commas and quotes
     food = %w{elk deer caribou squirrel pig chicken cow}
     puts food
     
     # basic if/else control structure
     count = 5
     if count > 10
       puts "Try again"
     elsif count == 5
       puts "You lose"
     else
       puts "Enter a number"
     end
     
     # a while loop
     xx = 0
     while xx < 10
       print "#{xx}..."
       xx += 1
     end
     print "done"    
   end
 end
 
 # classes and methods are defined, now run them....
 ss = SyntaxSampler.new("Robb")
 ss.print_name
 ss.dostuff
 ss.anothermethod
 ss.mirror("hello, I'm passing params baby") # with parens
 ss.mirrordefval "yo yo yo" # no parens
 ss.mirrordefval # no params sent in, use default value
 puts $wicked # still don't believe me? it IS GLOBAL DAMMIT!
 dc = DiffClass.new
 dc.rundiff()
 #now a little introspection for your sorry ass
 puts "\n\nMethods of SyntaxSampler class...."
 SyntaxSampler.instance_methods.each {|mm| print "#{mm}  "}
 puts "\n\nNow eliminate inherited methods...."
 # this looks like a simpler way to print out a list, eh?
 puts SyntaxSampler.instance_methods(false).join(" ") 
 exit # not really needed here