Let me see if I fully understand this. This:
Object.instance_eval def a puts 'a' end end is equivalent to this: class Object def self.a puts 'a' end end Basically, instance_eval invoked on Object creates a new class method for the Object class (or for class Class? and if it is class Class, then why bother invoking instance_eval it on Object?). The reason why I say this is because that method is now available to class Class and all classes created, since they all inherit from class Class when using the class construct. The only logical explanation I can come up for this behavior is that whenever you create a class method, the method is automatically copied to class Class and therefore all classes inherit from it. Correct? If so, then why use instance_eval on Object? Example: ruby-1.8.7-p330 :001 > class Object ruby-1.8.7-p330 :002?> def self.a ruby-1.8.7-p330 :003?> puts 'a' ruby-1.8.7-p330 :004?> end ruby-1.8.7-p330 :005?> end ruby-1.8.7-p330 :006 > class A ruby-1.8.7-p330 :007?> end ruby-1.8.7-p330 :011 > Object.a a ruby-1.8.7-p330 :008 > A.a a This fails because @a is an instance method that does not have access to class methods, even class methods of Object: ruby-1.8.7-p330 :009 > @a = A.new => #<A:0x1069a3088> ruby-1.8.7-p330 :010 > @a.a NoMethodError: undefined method `a' for #<A:0x1069a3088> from (irb):10 from :0 ruby-1.8.7-p330 :015 > @a = Object.new => #<Object:0x1064fcf98> ruby-1.8.7-p330 :016 > @a.a Thanks for response -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
