README
NAME
arrayfields.rb
URIS
http://rubyforge.org/projects/codeforpeople/
SYNOPSIS
require 'arrayfields'
a = Arrayfields.new :k, :v, :a, :b
p a[:k] #=> :v
p a[:a] #=> :b
p a.fields #=> [:k, :a]
p a.values #=> [:v, :b]
p a #=> [:v, :b]
p a.to_hash #=> {:k => :v, :a => :b}
p a.pairs #=> [[:k, :v], [:a, :b]]
a[:foo] = :bar
p a[:foo] #=> :bar
p a.fields #=> [:k, :a, :foo]
AND
require 'arrayfields'
fields = 'name', 'age'
a = [ 'zaphod', 42 ]
a.fields = fields
a['name'] #=> 'zaphod'
a[:name ] #=> 'zaphod'
a.indices 'name', 'age' #=> [ 'zaphod', 42 ]
DESCRIPTION
allow keyword access to array instances. arrayfields works by adding only a
few methods to arrays, namely #fields= and fields, but the #fields= method is
hooked to extend an array on a per object basis. in otherwords __only__ those
arrays whose fields are set will have auto-magical keyword access bestowed on
them - all other arrays remain unaffected. arrays with keyword access require
much less memory when compared to hashes/objects and yet still provide fast
lookup and preserve data order.
LIST OF OVERRIDDEN METHODS
Array#[]
Array#slice
Array#[]=
Array#at
Array#delete_at
Array#fill
Array#values_at
Array#indices
Array#indexes
Array#slice!
LIST OF HASH-LIKE METHODS
Array#each_with_field
Array#each_pair
Array#each_key
Array#each_value
Array#fetch
Array#has_key?
Array#member?
Array#key?
Array#has_value?
Array#value?
Array#keys
Array#store
Array#values
Array#to_hash
Array#to_h
Array#update
Array#replace
Array#invert
Array#pairs
LIST OF ADDED Array METHODS
Array#fields=
Array#fields
LIST OF ADDED Array CLASS METHODS
Array.fields/Array.struct
SAMPLES
< sample/a.rb >========>
~ > cat sample/a.rb
require 'arrayfields'
#
# the class Array has only a few added method, one is for setting the fields,
# when the fields are set for an array THIS INSTANCE ONLY will be modified to
# allow keyword access. other arrays will not be affected!
#
a = [0,1,2]
fields = ['zero', 'one', 'two']
a.fields = fields # ONLY the Array 'a' is affected!
#
# keyword access is now allowed for many methods
#
p a['zero'] #=> 0
p a['one'] #=> 1
p a['two'] #=> 2
p a.at('one') #=> 1
p a.values_at('zero', 'two') #=> [0, 2]
#
# assigmnet is allowed
#
a['zero'] = 42
p a['zero'] #=> 42
#
# assignment to non-fields results in the element being appended and the field
# being added for future use (also appended)
#
p(a.fields.join(',')) #=> "zero, one, two"
p a['three'] #=> nil
a['three'] = 3
p(a.fields.join(',')) #=> "zero, one, two, three"
p a['three'] #=> 3
#
# other detructive methods are also keyword enabled
#
a.fill 42, 'zero', len = a.size
p(a.values_at(a.fields)) #=> [42, 42, 42, 42]
a.replace [0,1,2,3]
a.slice! 'two', 2
p a #=> [0,1]
~ > ruby sample/a.rb
0
1
2
1
[0, 2]
42
"zero,one,two"
nil
"zero,one,two,three"
3
[42, 42, 42, 42]
[0, 1]
< sample/b.rb >========>
~ > cat sample/b.rb
require 'arrayfields'
#
# the struct class factory method can be used in much the same way as ruby's
# own struct generators and is useful when the fields for a set of arrays is
# known apriori
#
c = Array.struct :a, :b, :c # class generator
a = c.new [42, nil, nil]
a[:c] = 42
p a #=> [42, nil, 42]
#
# of course we can append too
#
a[:d] = 42.0
p a[:d] #=> 42.0
p a #=> [42, nil, 42, 42.0]
~ > ruby sample/b.rb
[42, nil, 42]
42.0
[42, nil, 42, 42.0]
< sample/c.rb >========>
~ > cat sample/c.rb
require 'arrayfields'
#
# the Array.fields methods generates an instance with those fields
#
a = Array.fields :a, :b, :c
a[:a] = a[:c] = 42
p a #=> [42, nil, 42]
p a.fields #=> [:a, :b, :c]
p a.values #=> [42, nil, 42]
~ > ruby sample/c.rb
[42, nil, 42]
[:a, :b, :c]
[42, nil, 42]
< sample/d.rb >========>
~ > cat sample/d.rb
require 'arrayfields'
#
# the Arrayfields.new method is a contruct that takes evenly numbered pairs of
# arbitrary objects and builds up a fielded array
#
a = Arrayfields.new :key, :value, :a, :b
p a.fields #=> [:key, :a]
p a.values #=> [:value, :b]
#
# you can use a hash - but of course the ordering gets lost in the initial
# hash creation. aka the order of fields get horked by the unorderedness of
# ruby's hash iteration. it's okay for some purposes though
#
a = Arrayfields.new :key => :value, :a => :b
p a.fields #=> [:key, :a]
p a.values #=> [:value, :b]
#
# lists of pairs get flattened - the argument simply has to be evenly numbered
# afterwards.
#
a = Arrayfields.new [[:key, :value], [:a, :b]]
p a.fields #=> [:key, :a]
p a.values #=> [:value, :b]
p a.pairs #=> [[:key, :value], [:a, :b]]
~ > ruby sample/d.rb
[:key, :a]
[:value, :b]
[:key, :a]
[:value, :b]
[:key, :a]
[:value, :b]
[[:key, :value], [:a, :b]]
< sample/e.rb >========>
~ > cat sample/e.rb
require 'arrayfields'
Entry = Array.struct :path, :stat
entry = Entry[ File.basename(__FILE__), File.stat(__FILE__) ]
p entry[:path] #=> "e.rb"
p entry.path #=> "e.rb"
entry.path = 'foo'
p entry[:path] #=> "foo"
p entry.path #=> "foo"
entry.path 'bar' # getter acts as setter without args
p entry['path'] #=> "bar"
p entry.path #=> "bar"
~ > ruby sample/e.rb
"e.rb"
"e.rb"
"foo"
"foo"
"bar"
"bar"
AUTHOR
ara.t.howard@gmail.com
HISTORY
4.7.4
- fixes for clone/dup methods
4.6.0
- Array#fields getter acts as setter if arg given, eg
a = []
a.fields %w( a b c )
a['c'] = 42
4.4.0:
- working dup method worked in, also deepcopy and clone
4.3.0:
- a dup like method, named 'copy' and based on clone, is added to Arrayfields objects
4.2.0:
- a dup impl apparently caused some confusion with both rake and rails, so
this release undoes that impl and should be considered a critical bugfix
release
4.1.0:
- improved Array.struct method, see sample/e.rb
4.0.0:
- added Arrayfields.new(*arbitrary_evenly_numbered_list_of_objects)
- added #to_pairs and #pairs
- tried but failed to recall what happend for version 3.8
- changed Array.fields to == Arrayfields.new (used to alias Array.struct)
- added impl of Fieldable#dup that sets fields in dupped object
3.7.0:
- multiton pattern clean up, thanks gavin kistner!
- mods for ruby 1.8.6 (alias bug in 1.8.6 i think)
- added PseudoHash class
- added Array.struct/fields class generator
3.6.0:
- made string/symbol keys interchangeable
list = [0, 1, 2]
list.fields = %w( a b c )
p list['a'] #=> 0
p list[:a] #=> 0
3.5.0:
- added more hash-like methods
- update
- replace
- invert
3.4.0:
- added FieldedArray[] ctor
- added methods to make Arrays with fields set behave more closely to Hashes
- each_pair
- each_key
- each_value
- fetch
- has_key?
- member?
- key?
- has_value?
- value?
- keys?
- store
- values
3.3.0:
- added gemspec file - thnx Assaph Mehr
- added FieldedArray proxy class which minimizes modifications to class
Array and allow ArrayFields to work (potientially) other arraylike object.
thnks Sean O'Dell
- added ArrayFields#to_hash method - this seems like an obvious one to add!
- remedied bug where using append feature of assigning with unknow field
appedended but did not append to acutal fields
- added samples
- created rubyforge accnt @ http://rubyforge.org/projects/arrayfields/
3.2.0:
- precedence fix in many methods - thnx. nobu
- test for #slice! were not being run - corrected
- added test for appeding via "a['new_field'] = 42"
3.1.0:
- added FieldSet class to reduce ram - thnx. Kirk Haines for profiliing
memory and prompting this change
- interface changed every so slightly so
a.fields = 'a', 'b', 'c'
is not allowed. use
a.fields = %w(a b c)
or
a.fields = ['a', 'b', 'c']
3.0.0:
- added unit tests