Question

What is the best way to write a function (or something DSLish) that will allow me to write this code in Ruby. How would I construct the function write_pair?

username = "tyndall"
write_pair username
# where write_pair username outputs 
username: tyndall

Is it possible to do? Looking for the most simple way to do this.

Answer 1

Sure it is possible!

My solution tests the var by Object#object_id identity: http://codepad.org/V7TXRxmL
It’s crippled in the binding passing style …
Although it works just for local vars yet, it can be easily be made “universal” adding use of the other scope-variable-listing methods like instance_variables etc.

# the function must be defined in such a place 
# ... so as to "catch" the binding of the vars ... cheesy
# otherwise we're kinda stuck with the extra param on the caller
@_binding = binding
def write_pair(p, b = @_binding)
  eval("
    local_variables.each do |v| 
      if eval(v.to_s + \".object_id\") == " + p.object_id.to_s + "
        puts v.to_s + ': ' + \"" + p.to_s + "\"
      end
    end
  " , b)
end

# if the binding is an issue just do here:
# write_pair = lambda { |p| write_pair(p, binding) }

# just some test vars to make sure it works
username1 = "tyndall"
username  = "tyndall"
username3 = "tyndall"

# the result:
write_pair(username)
# username: tyndall