In message "[ruby-talk:8846] About string return from IO::gets"
    on 01/01/08, "and.u" <is.r / com.is-andy.com> writes:

>How to limit string which return from IO::gets max length ?

Do you really need reading a *line*?  IO#gets is a line-oriented
interface of IO.  If you would do something to control input buffer,
you maybe have to IO#read or IO#sysread, which can take an optional
argument to specify the length.

Otherwise, Mark's comment [ruby-talk:8866] might help you. 

-- Gotoken

p.s. We denote by `IO::gets' a class method `gets' (which does not
     exist as built-in); IO#gets stands for an instance method `gets'
     of IO.  These distinction make our comminication clearer :-)