Ruby 'gets' that works over multiple lines

Question

Using the IRB, I want to enter a multiple line string in order to strip certain characters from it. "gets" only allows a single line - is there a similar function for multiple lines.

ASCII_project.rb(main):002:0* puts = "What's the text you want to strip?"
=> "What's the text you want to strip?"
ASCII_project.rb(main):003:0> str = gets

I now want to paste in a section of text - because of the new lines it doesn't function. This is why I want to collect over multiple lines

Here is the code

# encoding: CP850
puts = "What's the text you want to strip?"
str = gets
str.gsub!(/\P{ASCII}/, '')
puts str

Gathers

hum, just call gets several times ? – Anisotropic

If not by newline character, how should the method know when to stop reading? – Overdevelop

Answer 1

You can do this in following way,

$/ = "END"  
user_input = STDIN.gets
puts user_input

make sure to type END keyword when you think the input is finished,

As well this will only work with actual interpreter not irb.

Preclinical

This is the only viable solution in Ruby – Skyeskyhigh

Can you explain what $/ does? – Gathers

@Gathers that's a ruby global variable and used as separator by gets and readline. – Scolopendrid

Answer 2

You can use this method, it accepts text until the first empty line

def multi_gets all_text=""
  while (text = gets) != "\n"
    all_text << text
  end
  all_text
end

or this one, you can replace the \n\n with any end character you define

def multi_gets all_text=""
  while all_text << STDIN.gets
    return all_text if all_text["\n\n"]
  end
end

Trinette

This is a good encapsulation of the termination character process. – Skyeskyhigh

Answer 3

You could use readlines() on $stdin like so

> $stdin.readlines
Mit Wohnungen, mit Bergen, Hügeln, Flüssen,
Solang ichs deutlich sah, ein Schatz der Freuden;
Zuletzt im Blauen blieb ein Augenweiden
An fernentwichnen lichten Finsternissen.

# ^D
 => ["Mit Wohnungen, mit Bergen, Hügeln, Flüssen,\n",
 "Solang ichs deutlich sah, ein Schatz der Freuden;\n",
 "Zuletzt im Blauen blieb ein Augenweiden\n",
 "An fernentwichnen lichten Finsternissen.\n"]

Objection

Your sample code uses the wrong variable name for the standard in. I would have edited it but its under the 6 character limit – High

@High Thanks, that went unnoticed. – Objection

Answer 4

str = <<-EOF
Your multi line
text goes here
.....
EOF

But the catch is you'll have to end with EOF

Party