Rails: Iterate through an array multiple times

Question

I have an array, let's say it's

array = ["apple", "orange", "banana"]

Also I have a loop:

boxes.each_with_index do |fruit, i|
  ... some code ...
  array[i]
end

I don't know how many boxes are. What I want to achieve is iterating through the array (from "apple" to "orange") as many times as it takes: apple, orange, banana, apple... and again.

I couldn't find a method that can help me to do this. Also, I thought about resetting a counter inside the loop but haven't succeeded as well.

What do you think would be the most elegant solution? Thanks.

This is a pure Ruby question so I recommend you strike "Rails" in the title and remove the "ruby-on-rails" tag. The Rails tag wastes time for members who only want to see Rails questions (i.e., who filter on Rails) and prevents members who have filtered out Rails questions from seeing your question. Also, I don't think "arrays" or "loops" are useful tags. I'd just have "ruby". — Cary Swoveland
– Cary Swoveland, Commented May 19, 2017 at 21:05

Zach Tuttle · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-19 19:31:44Z

4

array_enumerator = array.cycle

And then, you can call array_enumerator.next any time you want. It goes in cycle.

See official ruby documentation for the #cycle method: https://ruby-doc.org/core-2.4.0/Array.html#method-i-cycle

edited May 19, 2017 at 19:31

Zach Tuttle

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answered May 19, 2017 at 19:07

Ursus

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Comments

Cary Swoveland · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-19 21:14:42Z

2

I concur with @Ursus that cycle is probably best here, but you could also use Array#rotate!:

arr = [1,2,3]
a = arr.dup.rotate!(-1) #=> [3, 1, 2]

a.rotate!.first         #=> 1
a.rotate!.first         #=> 2
a.rotate!.first         #=> 3
a.rotate!.first         #=> 1

edited May 19, 2017 at 21:14

answered May 19, 2017 at 20:59

Cary Swoveland

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