Why is initializing variables so important? - ruby-on-rails

Question

Please can someone explain to me, why NOT initializing first_idx and last_idx causes the code not to run??
When I run it I get this error "undefined local variable or method last_idx". I know that the advice is to always initialize the variables, but I don't understand why. After all first_idx and last_idx will ALWAYS get a value inside the loop because the argument letter is always present in the string (in this particular problem).
I'd really appreciate some (simple) insight. Thank you!
P.S, I also know that the problem is easily solved using #index and #rindex in Ruby, but I'm not allowed to solve it using straightforward methods.
def find_for_letter(string, letter)
first_idx = nil
0.upto(string.length - 1) do |idx1|
if string[idx1] == letter
first_idx = idx1
break
end
end
last_idx = nil
(string.length - 1).downto(0) do |idx2|
if string[idx2] == letter
last_idx = idx2
break
end
end
if last_idx == first_idx
return [first_idx]
else
return [first_idx, last_idx]
end
end
def first_last_indices(word)
h = {}
word.chars.each do |char|
h[char] = find_for_letter(word, char)
end
h
end

Answer 1

Variables in block
From the Ruby Programming Language:
Blocks define a new variable scope: variables created within a block
exist only within that block and are undefined outside of the block.
Be cautious, however; the local variables in a method are available to
any blocks within that method. So if a block assigns a value to a
variable that is already defined outside of the block, this does not
create a new block-local variable but instead assigns a new value to
the already-existing variable.
a = 0
2.times do
a = 1
end
puts a #=> 1
b = 0
2.times do |i;b| # <- b will stay a block-local variable
b = 1
end
puts b #=> 0
2.times do |i|
c = 1
end
puts c #=> undefined local variable or method `c' for main:Object (NameError)
Refactoring your code
Iterating with chars and index
Here's a smaller method for your goal.
It keeps a hash with minmax indices for each character.
The default hash value is an empty array.
The method iterates over each character (with index).
If minmax array already contains 2 values :
it replaces the second one (max) with current index.
it adds current index to the array otherwise.
def first_last_indices(word)
minmax_hash = Hash.new { |h, k| h[k] = [] }
word.each_char.with_index do |char, index|
minmax = minmax_hash[char]
if minmax.size == 2
minmax[1] = index
else
minmax << index
end
end
minmax_hash
end
p first_last_indices('hello world')
{"h"=>[0], "e"=>[1], "l"=>[2, 9], "o"=>[4, 7], " "=>[5], "w"=>[6], "r"=>[8], "d"=>[10]}
With group_by
Here's another possibility. It uses group_by to get all the indices for each character, and minmax to get just the first and last indices :
def first_last_indices(word)
word.each_char.with_index
.group_by{ |c, _| c }.map{ |c, vs|
[c, vs.map(&:last).minmax.uniq]
}.to_h
end
p first_last_indices('hello world')
{"h"=>[0], "e"=>[1], "l"=>[2, 9], "o"=>[4, 7], " "=>[5], "w"=>[6], "r"=>[8], "d"=>[10]}

Answer 2

Even if you do not declare last_idx, you can still initialise it inside the loop, i.e.:
(string.length - 1).downto(0) do |idx2|
if string[idx2] == letter
last_idx = idx2 # works absolutely fine
break
end
end
However notice where you declared the variable. Its a local variable and hence its tied to the block you are in. Now when you try to access that variable outside the block, you get the error:
undefined local variable or method last_idx
To make the variable available outside the block, you have to declare it outside. That is what you are doing when you declare last_idx = nil before the block where its assigned a value.
UPDATE:
Though by using instance variables you can avoid declaration, the best practices suggests it should be used in cases where information that these variables have is relevant to all or almost all of the class. On the other hand, if the information is very much limited to this particular method use local variables.

Answer 3

This is just the way that local variables work.
If you use instance variables, Ruby will assume that they have been initialised inside the conditional block, but will not for local variables.
def find_for_letter(string, letter)
0.upto(string.length - 1) do |idx1|
if string[idx1] == letter
#first_idx = idx1
break
end
end
(string.length - 1).downto(0) do |idx2|
if string[idx2] == letter
#last_idx = idx2
break
end
end
if #last_idx == #first_idx
return [#first_idx]
else
return [#first_idx, #last_idx]
end
end
This works fine.