Reputation: 17132
I have a Ruby 1.8.6 script that is supposed to take a filename that contains a path, create the folders then move the file into the folders. I have an array created_paths
to keep tracked of folders created (the script will loop through lots of files). I am having a problem adding to the created_paths
array.
created_paths = Array.new
file_name = "first\\second\\third.txt"
parts = file_name.split('\\')
tmp_path = ""
parts.each_with_index { |part,i|
if i == (parts.length - 1)
# copy file to new dir structure
else
tmp_path << part << "/"
if !created_paths.include?(tmp_path)
puts "add to array: #{tmp_path}"
created_paths.push(tmp_path)
# create folder
end
end
}
puts "size=#{created_paths.length}\n"
created_paths.each { |z| print z, "\n " }
When I push tmp_path
on to the created_paths
array it seems the reference to tmp_path
has been added and not the value. On the second iteration of the loop created_paths.include?(tmp_path)
is returning True. How do I get the value of tmp_path
to be stored in my array, or maybe there is a scope issue i'm missing ?
My output:
add to array: first/
size=1
first/second/
My excepted output:
add to array: first/
add to array: first/second/
size=2
first/
first/second/
Upvotes: 2
Views: 12874
Reputation: 1662
When I push tmp_path on to the created_paths array it seems the reference to tmp_path has been added and not the value.
Everything in ruby is by reference.
When you use << you're concatenating to the string. Using the dup method should work for you.
mystring = "test"
myarray = []
5.times do |x|
mystring << x.to_s
myarray << mystring
end
puts myarray
In the above snippet set << for the string assignment to = and see the difference in output.
Also as a side note in ruby you can just use puts to add a newline when printing.
so created_paths.each { |z| print z, "\n " }
could read created_paths.each { |z| puts z }
Upvotes: 2
Reputation: 35520
The issue is that this line is modifying the original string object. The array holds a reference to that object.
tmp_path << part << "/"
To avoid it, you need to create a new object. Either do this when you add the paths
created_paths.push(tmp_path.dup)
Or do:
tmp_path += part + "/"
Either way, you are making a new string object, rather than modifying the existing one.
Upvotes: 1
Reputation: 44080
You can use tmp_path.dup
to clone the string before pushing it to the array.
But I don't understand why you're doing all of it (keeping the list of created directories). Take a look at FileUtils#mkdir_p, you pass it a path to a directory you want to create and it creates it, along with all the missing parent directories.
Upvotes: 5