Hi, From: "Brian Candler" <B.Candler / pobox.com> > How can I make it test that the instance variable is uninitialised, so I can > prevent a warning? I think defined? might do the trick: >> class Foo >> def initialize >> p defined? @bar >> @bar = 123 >> p defined? @bar >> end >> end => nil >> Foo.new nil # the result of the 1st defined? test "instance-variable" # the result of the 2nd => #<Foo:0x2ab9b70 @bar=123> HTH, Bill