RINCOR
...which of course stands for "Ruby is not C or Java"

In the midst of programming sipXconfig I need to fix call resolver bug. I need to count 'setup' and 'end' for each call leg.

I write my test. I add 4 lines of code. I end up with something like this:

@refcount--
if @end_time.nil? || @end_time < cse.event_time
@end_time = cse.event_time
end


I run my test and Ruby complains:

Exception: undefined method `-@' for Thu May 17 19:30:00 UTC 1990:Time

To which I eloquently say: what???

Couple of moments later with Douglas looking over my shoulder:

Douglas: is @end_time even defined
Me: scrolling to the definition
Douglas: silence
Me: silence back

Desperate problems call for unusual measures. Let's print @end_time

@refcount--
p @end_time

Ruby move follows. And Ruby says: syntaxt error

Can you see it now?
It took us about 30 seconds since syntax error. Turns out @refcount-- is not how you decrement in Ruby; @refcount -= 1 is. Which we always knew. Well: kind of...

Labels: ruby

- posted by Damian @ 11:26 AM 0 comments | permalink