method

attr_accessor_with_default

Importance_2
v2.2.1 - Show latest stable - 2 notes - Class: Module
attr_accessor_with_default(sym, default = nil, &block) public

Declare an attribute accessor with an initial default return value.

To give attribute :age the initial value 25: 

  class Person
    attr_accessor_with_default :age, 25
  end

  some_person.age
  => 25
  some_person.age = 26
  some_person.age
  => 26

To give attribute :element_name a dynamic default value, evaluated in scope of self: 

  attr_accessor_with_default(:element_name) { name.underscore }
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September 13, 2011
1 thank

Some unexpected behaviour

When using Array as default value, it behaves more like cattr_accessor…

class A
 attr_accessor_with_default :b, []
end

x = A.new
x.b << 1

#puts x.b.inspect => [1]

y = A.new
y.b << 2

#puts y.b.inspect => [1, 2]
October 10, 2011 - (>= v3.1.0)
1 thank

Use Ruby instead!

E.g.

class TestClass < SomeSuperClass
  attr_accessor :sample_acc

  def initialize      
    @sample_acc = []
    super
  end
end

If nil is not a valid value for this accessor, then you can just define reader for it.

class TestClass
  attr_accessor :sample_acc

  def sample_acc
    @sample_acc ||= 98
  end
end