require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/edgecase') class AboutSymbols < EdgeCase::Koan def test_symbols_are_symbols symbol = :ruby assert_equal __, symbol.is_a?(Symbol) end def test_symbols_can_be_compared symbol1 = :a_symbol symbol2 = :a_symbol symbol3 = :something_else assert_equal __, symbol1 == symbol2 assert_equal __, symbol1 == symbol3 end def test_identical_symbols_are_a_single_internal_object symbol1 = :a_symbol symbol2 = :a_symbol assert_equal __, symbol1 == symbol2 assert_equal __, symbol1.object_id == symbol2.object_id end def test_method_names_become_symbols symbols_as_strings = Symbol.all_symbols.map { |x| x.to_s } assert_equal __, symbols_as_strings.include?("test_method_names_become_symbols") end # THINK ABOUT IT: # # Why do we convert the list of symbols to strings and then compare # against the string value rather than against symbols? in_ruby_version("mri") do RubyConstant = "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" def test_constants_become_symbols all_symbols = Symbol.all_symbols assert_equal __, all_symbols.include?(__) end end def test_symbols_can_be_made_from_strings string = "catsAndDogs" assert_equal __, string.to_sym end def test_symbols_with_spaces_can_be_built symbol = :"cats and dogs" assert_equal symbol, __.to_sym end def test_symbols_with_interpolation_can_be_built value = "and" symbol = :"cats #{value} dogs" assert_equal symbol, __.to_sym end def test_to_s_is_called_on_interpolated_symbols symbol = :cats string = "It is raining #{symbol} and dogs." assert_equal __, string end def test_symbols_are_not_strings symbol = :ruby assert_equal __, symbol.is_a?(String) assert_equal __, symbol.eql?("ruby") end def test_symbols_do_not_have_string_methods symbol = :not_a_string assert_equal __, symbol.respond_to?(:each_char) assert_equal __, symbol.respond_to?(:reverse) end # It's important to realize that symbols are not "immutable # strings", though they are immutable. None of the # interesting string operations are available on symbols. def test_symbols_cannot_be_concatenated # Exceptions will be pondered further father down the path assert_raise(___) do :cats + :dogs end end def test_symbols_can_be_dynamically_created assert_equal __, ("cats" + "dogs").to_sym end # THINK ABOUT IT: # # Why is it not a good idea to dynamically create a lot of symbols? end