ssoroka / ignore_nil

ignore_nil { so.i.dont.raise.nomethoderror.on.long.chained.methods }

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ignore_nil {}

DESCRIPTION

ignore_nil lets you happily ignore nil methods on long method chains. Keeps code pretty and much safer than "rescue nil", since it only catches NoMethodError on nil objects.

ignore_nil {} will either return the last thing evaluated in the block, or nil if a NoMethodError is raised calling a method on a nil object. Any other exceptions raised in the block are not handled, and left for the application to resolve.

INSTALLATION

as a gem: 

  sudo gem install ssoroka-ignore_nil

as a plugin: 

  script/plugin install git://github.com/ssoroka/ignore_nil.git

USAGE

  ignore_nil { user.profile.photo }

which is much cleaner than, say, 

  user && user.profile && user.profile.photo

and much much safer than 

  user.profile.photo rescue nil

which will eat any error, even if it’s one you really want to see.

HELP!

I really think this is much better than the new try() syntax in Rails 2.3. If you use and like this gem, please +1 it here: rails.lighthouseapp.com/projects/8994/tickets/2364-ignore_nil-as-a-better-alternative-to-try

AUTHOR

Steven Soroka www.twitter.com/ssoroka blog.stevensoroka.ca