On Thu, 9 Nov 2000, ts wrote:

> >>>>> "H" == Hugh Sasse Staff Elec Eng <hgs / dmu.ac.uk> writes:
> 
> H> The second parameter is supposed to be optional.  How does ruby determine
> H> that the second parameter has been missed out, but not the third (limit)?
> 
>  If you have only 2 parameters and the second is a FIXNUM then it's the
> limit. 

But how does it work?  Does it use 'type' to find this, or is there
some language feature I should be aware of that I'm not.
> 
> H> If the limit is negative, the depth is not checked.  Presumably the 
> H> limit is not ignored -- the only difference is the generation of an error
> H> message.  Is that right?  I mean, a negative limit doesn't mean  "keep
> H> going down till you have the whole object", for example?
> 
>  ruby decrement the limit parameter and only check if this value is null to
>  stop the dump.
> 
>  With a negative limit (the default) it dump the whole object.
> 
Hmmm, The Book says its 100.
> 
> Guy Decoux
> 
> p.s.: it's best to read the source for this sort of information.
> 

Well, I looked in The Book...
> 
	Hugh
	hgs / dmu.ac.uk