Getting initialization status from "foo = Class.new"

[Rodney Brown]

Here's a ruby noob question for ya:

I have a class I've made that the initalize method searches for a file
needed for the class to function.

Right now, I've made a class variable, "found", that is set to true or
false if the initialize method could or could not find the file.

For example:

foo = Class.new

if foo.found == true
# continue program
else
# give error message
exit

Is there a way for "Class.new" to signal failure? I originally had the
class's initialize method return true or false but this doesn't seem to
be reflected in a "foo = Class.new" when trying it in irb.

Using the class variable "found" works but shouldn't Class.new signal
failure?

 

[Harold Hausman]

Is there a way for "Class.new" to signal failure? I originally had the
class's initialize method return true or false but this doesn't seem to
be reflected in a "foo = Class.new" when trying it in irb.

Using the class variable "found" works but shouldn't Class.new signal
failure?

How about raising an exception?
http://www.rubycentral.com/book/tut_exceptions.html

-Harold

 

[Timothy Hunter]

Here's a ruby noob question for ya:

I have a class I've made that the initalize method searches for a file
needed for the class to function.

Right now, I've made a class variable, "found", that is set to true or
false if the initialize method could or could not find the file.

For example:

foo = Class.new

if foo.found == true
# continue program
else
# give error message
exit

Is there a way for "Class.new" to signal failure? I originally had the
class's initialize method return true or false but this doesn't seem to
be reflected in a "foo = Class.new" when trying it in irb.

Using the class variable "found" works but shouldn't Class.new signal
failure?

Generally when the initialize method fails it should raise an exception.