chunker/README
branchruby-modules
changeset 2 e5c705047540
parent 1 9e127bf6e84f
--- a/chunker/README	Sat Nov 08 18:59:05 2008 +0000
+++ b/chunker/README	Sun Nov 09 00:27:36 2008 +0000
@@ -1,7 +1,59 @@
 
-The DATA constant
+Preface:
+
+	Ruby provides an automatic constant called DATA, which is an IO object
+	that references all text in the current file under an __END__ token.
+
+	I find it convenient to use the __END__ area to store all sorts of
+	stuff, rather than have to worry about distributing separate files.
+
+
+The problem:
+
+	The DATA constant is determined from whatever ruby believes $0 to be.
+	It doesn't work inside of other required libraries, so you'll see stuff
+	like this all the time:
+
+	END = File.open( __FILE__ ).read.split( /^__END__/, 2 ).last
+
+	It works, but it's more work than I want to do.
+
+
+A workaround:
+
+	Chunker solves this by parsing __END__ tokens for you, and making it
+	available in the form of a 'DATA_END' constant.  It installs this
+	constant into the class that includes Chunker, so you can use it again
+	and again, assuming you use a different file for each class.
 
-The problem
+	It also automatically parses out other things that look like tokens, so
+	you can easily have multiple, distinct documents all embedded into the
+	__END__ block.
+
+
+Usage:
+
+	There is no direct interface to Chunker.  Just include it from a
+	class to have that file's __END__ data blocks magically become DATA_*
+	IO constants within that class.
+
+
+Example:
+
+	This produces the string "Yep.\n".
 
-A workaround
+
+		require 'chunker'
+		class Foom
+			include Chunker
+		end
+
+		puts Foom.new.class.const_get( :DATA_WICKED ).read
 
+		__END__
+		Stuff in the END block!
+		__WOW__
+		Ultimate success!
+		__WICKED__
+		Yep.
+