I read in <Programming Ruby 2nd ed.> (p. 303) - ""If Ruby comes across a line anywhere in the source containing just ÅÀ _END_ _ with no leading or trailing whitespace, it treats that line as the end of the programÍÂny subsequent lines will not be treated as program code." That's not what's happening for me. The following - _ _END_ _ __END__ _END_ all produce the same result for me - "undefined local variable or method" That DOES bring the program to an abrupt end, but its rather ungraceful. Is this the intended result - a crash due to an interpreter error? Tom -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tom Cloyd, MS MA, LMHC Private practice Psychotherapist Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A: (360) 920-1226 << tc / tomcloyd.com >> (email) << TomCloyd.com >> (website & psychotherapy weblog) << sleightmind.wordpress.com >> (mental health issues weblog) << directpathdesign.com >> (web site design & consultation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~