Brad wrote:

> Gennady wrote:
> 
> > 
> > On Dec 11, 2003, at 14:37, Brad wrote:
> > 
> > > Hello all,
> > >
> > > I have a problem that may or may not be an easy fix. :)
> > >
> > > Given the following:
> > >
> > >
> > > a=1
> > > b=2
> > >
> > > def swapper(dest,src)
> > >    dest,src=src,dest
> > > end
> > 
> > 
> > If you put it this way:
> > 
> > a=1
> > b=2
> > 
> > dest=a
> > src=b
> > 
> > dest,src=src,dest
> > 
> > It swaps dest and src. And I do not think you would expect a and b 
> > being swapped as well as a result of this. Same with calling a method 
> > as in your example. You cannot deal with variables' addresses in Ruby 
> > as in C.
> >
> 
> > >
> > > swapper(a,b)
> > > p [ a, b ]
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Why are the values of the variables not swapped?  Is there
> > > a way to coerce ruby into doing a and b by using src and dest?
> > >
> > > Any help is greatly appreciated.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Brad
> > >
> > >
> > 
> > Sincerely,
> > Gennady Bystritsky
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> True, in the case you present I would not expect a and b to be altered.
> But what I was wondering was if there were some way to allow
> manipulation of 

Sorry didn't mean to send that one. :)  Hit wrong key sequence.

What I was trying to say was...

I was wondering if there were some way to allow manipulations of
function/methods parameters such that the calling processes variable
values would be modified.  

As I understand it now this is not possible, though being new to Ruby I 
thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for your response.

Regards,
Brad