Ruby: how can I copy a variable without pointing to the same object?

Question

In Ruby, how can I copy a variable such that changes to the original don\'t affect the copy?

For example:

phrase1 = \"Hello Jim\"
phrase2 = phrase1
p         


        

Answer 1

Using your example, instead of:

phrase2 = phrase1

Try:

phrase2 = phrase1.dup

Answer 2

phrase1 = "Hello Jim"
   # => "Hello Jim"

phrase2 = Marshal.load(Marshal.dump(phrase1))
   # => "Hello Jim"

phrase1.gsub!("Hello","Hi")
   #  => "Hi Jim" 

puts phrase2
   # "Hello Jim"

puts phrase1
   # "Hi Jim"

Answer 3

As for copying you can do:

phrase2 = phrase1.dup

or

# Clone: copies singleton methods as well
phrase2 = phrase1.clone

You can do this as well to avoid copying at all:

phrase2 = phrase1.gsub("Hello","Hi")