Put text in helper method, but the caluclation is in float - ruby-on-rails

Hi I have a helper method for some calculations, I want to put some text but when I call this method the after calculation is in float.
I want to put text how can I do this?
if m == e
0.0
elsif e == 0
put "not defined"
else
(m - e)/e
end
Any idea? thanks!

if m == e
'0'
elsif e == 0
put "not defined"
else
((m - e)/e).to_s
end
Look Ruby in Twenty Minutes

Suppose your helper method name is foo
If you want to convert its return type to String for a particular method call, then method can be invoked like foo.to_s
In other places where you need the result as Float, just call it as foo .

Related

Why is initializing variables so important?

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
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]}
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.
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.

How to Find the Middle Character(s) in Ruby?

I'm trying to write a method in Ruby that:
if the string length is even numbers it will return the middle two characters and,
if the string length is odd it will return only the middle character
i put together this code, but it is not working:
def the_middle(s)
if s.length % 2 == 0
return s.index(string.length/2-1) && s.index(string.length/2)
else
return s.index(string.length/2).round
end
end
I think the problem is in the syntax, not the logic, and I was hoping someone could identify where the syntax error might be.
I really appreciate your help!
Actually you have both syntax errors and logic (semantic) errors in that code.
First of all it seems you have misunderstood how the index method on string works. It does not return the character at the given index but the index of a given substring or regex as can be seen in the documentation:
Returns the index of the first occurrence of the given substring or pattern (regexp) in str.
You're also using the wrong operator to concatenate the two middle characters when the string length is even. && is the logical and operator. It's usually used for conditions and not assigments - for example in an if statement if s.length.even? && s.length > 2. The operator you want to use is + which concatenates strings.
Finally, you're using string.length but string is not defined anywhere. What you mean is probably s.length (the input parameter).
The correct solution would be more like the following:
def the_middle(s)
if s.length.even?
return s[s.length/2-1] + s[s.length/2]
else
return s[s.length/2]
end
end
I have taken the liberty to replace s.length % 2 == 0 with s.length.even? as it's more intention revealing and really the ruby way of finding out whether an integer is even or odd.
You can solve this without a conditional using String#[].
Using a range with a negative end:
def the_middle(s)
i = (s.length - 1) / 2
s[i..-i.succ]
end
Or start and length:
def the_middle(s)
a, b = (s.length - 1).divmod(2)
s[a, b + 1]
end
Both return the same results:
the_middle("a") #=> "a"
the_middle("aba") #=> "b"
the_middle("abcba") #=> "c"
the_middle("abcdcda") #=> "d"
# ^
the_middle("abba") #=> "bb"
the_middle("abccba") #=> "cc"
the_middle("abcddcda") #=> "dd"
# ^^
Try this:
def get_middle(s)
x = (s.length/2)
s.length.even? ? s[x-1..x] : s[x]
end
Since olerass already answered your doubt about the syntax, i will suggest you a less verbose solution for the question in the title:
def the_middle(s)
return s[s.length/2] if s.length.odd?
s[s.length/2-1] + s[s.length/2]
end
Same answer the syntax is just consolidated.
Format (logic result) ? ( if true this is the result) : (if false this is the result)
def get_middle(s)
num = s.length
num.even? ? ( s[num/2-1] + s[num/2]) : (s[num/2])
end

Making a new array considered a Dynamic Assignment Ruby

I want to make an array where to keep scores for every user. An example of the array would be ScoreArray["example#yahoo.com"] = 10. To do this I need to instantiate the Array first. So I tried something like:
ScoreArray = Array.new
#sugested.each do |gg|
nr = 0
#followees.each do |ff|
if (ff.email == gg.email) then nr = nr + 1
end
end
if(gg.following.count != 0) then
score = ( nr/#followees.count ) * ( gg.followers.count / gg.following.count)
ScoreArray[gg.email] = score
pry.bind
else score = 0
end
end
All this code is inside a method called candidates . When I try to run rails server I get the following error message on the page where I invoke this method :
home/flo/Ruby/Licenta/honk_app/app/controllers/application_controller.rb:45: dynamic constant assignment ScoreArray = Array.new ^
Any ideas how can I avoid this problem? And why is it doing this?(from what I've read is because it's inside a method and ruby doesn't like instantiating a "constant" each time a method is called. The thing is , this is not a constant ... for each user that logs in I will have a separate array).
In ruby a leading capital letter denotes a constant - if you don't want a constant then start with a lowercase letter (if a local variable isn't sufficient for your purpose, consider an instance variable)
In addition arrays can't be used as you show them
some_array[gg.email]
Will raise an exception if gg.email is a string
Try this
score_hash = Hash.new
score_hash[gg.email] = score
sorted_hash = Hash[score_hash.sort_by{|k, v| v}.reverse]

Why doesn't this code function?

local data={}
eventNewPlayer=function(n)
data[n]={tab="none"}
end
function eventChatCommand(n,c)
if c == "foo" then
data[n].tab = c
if data[n].tab == c then
ui.removeTextArea(90,n)
else
ui.addTextArea(90,"f"..string.rep("o",35),n,400,200,nil,nil)
end
end
end
table.foreach(tfm.get.room.playerList,eventNewPlayer)
It's a logical error the textarea does not appear whatsoever and I don't really see any error in the code mentioned above
When data[n].tab = c is executed, you are assigning the value of c to data[n].tab. This will happen every time that c == "foo".
Therefore, when you execute this:
if data[n].tab == c then
ui.removeTextArea(90,n)
else
ui.addTextArea(90,"f"..string.rep("o",35),n,400,200,nil,nil)
end
It will always execute the first part, and not the second part.

ruby looping question

I want to make a loop on a variable that can be altered inside of the loop.
first_var.sort.each do |first_id, first_value|
second_var.sort.each do |second_id, second_value_value|
difference = first_value - second_value
if difference >= 0
second_var.delete(second_id)
else
second_var[second_id] += first_value
if second_var[second_id] == 0
second_var.delete(second_id)
end
first_var.delete(first_id)
end
end
end
The idea behind this code is that I want to use it for calculating how much money a certain user is going to give some other user. Both of the variables contain hashes. The first_var is containing the users that will get money, and the second_var is containing the users that are going to pay. The loop is supposed to "fill up" a user that should get money, and when a user gets full, or a user is out of money, to just take it out of the loop, and continue filling up the rest of the users.
How do I do this, because this doesn't work?
Okay. What it looks like you have is two hashes, hence the "id, value" split.
If you are looping through arrays and you want to use the index of the array, you would want to use Array.each_index.
If you are looping through an Array of objects, and 'id' and 'value' are attributes, you only need to call some arbitrary block variable, not two.
Lets assume these are two hashes, H1 and H2, of equal length, with common keys. You want to do the following: if H1[key]value is > than H2[key]:value, remove key from H2, else, sum H1:value to H2:value and put the result in H2[key].
H1.each_key do |k|
if H1[k] > H2[k] then
H2.delete(k)
else
H2[k] = H2[k]+H1[k]
end
end
Assume you are looping through two arrays, and you want to sort them by value, and then if the value in A1[x] is greater than the value in A2[x], remove A2[x]. Else, sum A1[x] with A2[x].
b = a2.sort
a1.sort.each_index do |k|
if a1[k] > b[k]
b[k] = nil
else
b[k] = a1[k] + b[k]
end
end
a2 = b.compact
Based on the new info: you have a hash for payees and a hash for payers. Lets call them ees and ers just for convenience. The difficult part of this is that as you modify the ers hash, you might confuse the loop. One way to do this--poorly--is as follows.
e_keys = ees.keys
r_keys = ers.keys
e = 0
r = 0
until e == e_keys.length or r == r_keys.length
ees[e_keys[e]] = ees[e_keys[e]] + ers[r_keys[r]]
x = max_value - ees[e_keys[e]]
ers[r_keys[r]] = x >= 0 ? 0 : x.abs
ees[e_keys[e]] = [ees[e_keys[e]], max_value].min
if ers[r_keys[r]] == 0 then r+= 1 end
if ees[e_keys[e]] == max_value then e+=1 end
end
The reason I say that this is not a great solution is that I think there is a more "ruby" way to do this, but I'm not sure what it is. This does avoid any problems that modifying the hash you are iterating through might cause, however.
Do you mean?
some_value = 5
arrarr = [[],[1,2,5],[5,3],[2,5,7],[5,6,2,5]]
arrarr.each do |a|
a.delete(some_value)
end
arrarr now has the value [[], [1, 2], [3], [2, 7], [6, 2]]
I think you can sort of alter a variable inside such a loop but I would highly recommend against it. I'm guessing it's undefined behaviour.
here is what happened when I tried it
a.each do |x|
p x
a = []
end
prints
1
2
3
4
5
and a is [] at the end
while
a.each do |x|
p x
a = []
end
prints nothing
and a is [] at the end
If you can I'd try using
each/map/filter/select.ect. otherwise make a new array and looping through list a normally.
Or loop over numbers from x to y
1.upto(5).each do |n|
do_stuff_with(arr[n])
end
Assuming:
some_var = [1,2,3,4]
delete_if sounds like a viable candidate for this:
some_var.delete_if { |a| a == 1 }
p some_var
=> [2,3,4]

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