class Object
  # An object is blank if it's false, empty, or a whitespace string.
  # For example, "", "   ", +nil+, [], and {} are blank.
  #
  # This simplifies
  #
  #   if !address.nil? && !address.empty?
  #
  # to
  #
  #   if !address.blank?
  def blank?
    respond_to?(:empty?) ? empty? : !self
  end
  
  # Similar to Numeric#nonzero? -- returns itself if not blank (per +blank?+),
  # otherwise returns false. Simplifies e.g.
  #
  #   name = params[:name].blank? ? "Default name" : params[:name]
  #
  # to
  #
  #   name = params[:name].nonblank? || "Default name"
  def nonblank?
    !blank? && self
  end
 
end
 
class NilClass #:nodoc:
  def blank?
    true
  end
end
 
class FalseClass #:nodoc:
  def blank?
    true
  end
end
 
class TrueClass #:nodoc:
  def blank?
    false
  end
end
 
class Array #:nodoc:
  alias_method :blank?, :empty?
end
 
class Hash #:nodoc:
  alias_method :blank?, :empty?
end
 
class String #:nodoc:
  def blank?
    self !~ /\S/
  end
end
 
class Numeric #:nodoc:
  def blank?
    false
  end
end