Indexing variable names

Question

let say I am creating 10 points:
point = [n, n, n]
for n in 1..10
I want to assign them to variables with the same index.. point_n so point_5 = [5, 5, 5].
Is there a way to put that index into the name of variable.?

Answer 1

I believe you can but that's the wrong way to do things! Usually when you ask that question you are really looking for an array.
If you have

points = [
[0,0,0],
[1,1,1],
[2,2,2],
...
]

then `points[0]` gives you `[0,0,0]`, which reads almost like what you said.

Answer 2

There are the `instance_variable_set` and `instance_variable_get` functions, also `eval`. Do define a method from a string, there is `define_method`.

Nothing wrong with experimenting of course, but know that if you create N variables in a loop with instance_variable_set, and N is user input for example, you can't really use them in code. (Is string_100 there or not? You don't know while writing your code.)
That means you will likely use instance_variable_get in a loop to use all your variables, and you've just programmed a bad array.

Those functions I listed are mostly for metaprogramming, for example if you have a class that creates classes you will need them. `define_method` is probably the most common.

Answer 3

still would like to know if there is a way of creating variable ( possibly methods) names as a result of some operation.. like string1 + string2

Answer 4

thanks.. for now array will do