Question

I am creating a Word class and I am getting an error:

TypeError: superclass mismatch for class Word

Here is the irb code:

irb(main):016:0> class Word
irb(main):017:1>  def palindrome?(string)
irb(main):018:2>   string == string.reverse
irb(main):019:2>  end
irb(main):020:1> end
=> nil
irb(main):021:0> w = Word.new
=> #<Word:0x4a8d970>
irb(main):022:0> w.palindrome?("foobar")
=> false
irb(main):023:0> w.palindrome?("level")
=> true
irb(main):024:0> class Word < String
irb(main):025:1>  def palindrome?
irb(main):026:2>    self == self.reverse
irb(main):027:2>  end
irb(main):028:1> end
TypeError: superclass mismatch for class Word
 from (irb):24
 from C:/Ruby193/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.2.1/lib/rails/commands/console.rb:47:in `start'
 from C:/Ruby193/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.2.1/lib/rails/commands/console.rb:8:in `start'
 from C:/Ruby193/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.2.1/lib/rails/commands.rb:41:in `<top (required)>'
 from script/rails:6:in `require'
 from script/rails:6:in `<main>'

Answer 1

A thumb rule for irb (either way irb or rails console)

If you are creating the same class twice with inheritance (superclass), exit the irb instance and create it again. Why this? Because otherwise class conflicts will happen.

In your case, you are using Windows (found from the question), so just type exit on DOS prompt and again type irb or rails console and create your Word class and it should work. Please let me know if it doesn’t work for you.