How do I get all string literals in a Ruby source code file?

Question

I'm analyzing some code and I'm looking for string literals, to check if I have any duplicates. For example, if I have

def test_foo
  input_filename = "foo.txt"
  # ...
end

def test_bar
  input_filename = "bar.txt" # Fine
  # ...
end

def test_baz
  # Bad! Refactor it to a constant that's shared by test_foo and test_baz
  input_filename = "foo.txt" 
  # ...
end

I want the analysis program to tell me that ["foo.txt", "bar.txt", "foo.txt"] exist in my source code.

How can I do this?

Don't forget the %q and %Q versions...

mu is too short
– mu is too short

2011-12-08 23:47:11 +00:00
Commented Dec 8, 2011 at 23:47 — mu is too short
– mu is too short, Commented Dec 8, 2011 at 23:47

willb · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-08 23:39:17Z

5

If you install ruby_parser or parsetree, you'll be able to do something like this (assuming that the program text is in text):

result = RubyParser.new.parse(text)
result.flatten.to_a.select {|elt| elt.is_a?(String)}

(This could obviously be nicer, but it should be enough to get you started!)

answered Dec 8, 2011 at 23:39

willb

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1 Comment

Andrew Grimm Over a year ago

Thanks! PS: result.flatten.grep(String) is one way to code golf it.

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