ruby-c-cheat-sheet
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A cheat sheet for Ruby's C API
Getting started
1. Your gem skeleton
$ bundle gem my_awesome_gem
$ cd my_awesome_gem
$ mkdir -p ext/my_awesome_gem
2. Teaching Rake how to compile your gem
my_awesome_gem/my_awesome_gem.gemspec
spec.add_development_dependency "rake-compiler"
my_awesome_gem/Rakefile
require "rake/extensiontask"
Rake::ExtensionTask.new("my_awesome_gem") do |ext|
ext.lib_dir = "lib/my_awesome_gem"
end
3. Boilerplate
my_awesome_gem/ext/my_awesome_gem/extconf.rb
require 'mkmf'
create_makefile('my_awesome_gem')
my_awesome_gem/ext/my_awesome_gem/my_awesome_gem.c
#include "ruby.h"
VALUE MyAwesomeGemModule = Qnil;
void Init_my_awesome_gem()
{
MyAwesomeGemModule = rb_define_module("MyAwesomeGem");
rb_init_awesome_class();
}
4. Your first class
my_awesome_gem/ext/my_awesome_gem/my_awesome_gem.c
#include "ruby.h"
#include "awesome_class.h"
// ...
void Init_my_awesome_gem()
{
MyAwesomeGemModule = rb_define_module("MyAwesomeGem");
rb_init_awesome_class();
}
my_awesome_gem/ext/my_awesome_gem/awesome_class.h
#include "ruby.h"
void rb_init_awesome_class();
my_awesome_gem/ext/my_awesome_gem/awesome_class.c
#include "awesome_class.h"
VALUE AwesomeClass = Qnil;
extern VALUE MyAwesomeGemModule;
void rb_init_awesome_class()
{
AwesomeClass = rb_define_class_under(MyAwesomeGemModule, "AwesomeClass", rb_cObject);
}
5. Your first instance method
my_awesome_gem/ext/my_awesome_gem/awesome_class.h
#include "ruby.h"
void rb_init_awesome_class();
VALUE rb_awesome_class_say_hi(VALUE self);
VALUE rb_awesome_class_say_hi_to(VALUE self, VALUE r_name);
my_awesome_gem/ext/my_awesome_gem/awesome_class.c
#include "awesome_class.h"
VALUE AwesomeClass = Qnil;
extern VALUE MyAwesomeGemModule;
void rb_init_awesome_class()
{
AwesomeClass = rb_define_class_under(MyAwesomeGemModule, "AwesomeClass", rb_cObject);
rb_define_method(AwesomeClass, "say_hi", rb_awesome_class_say_hi, 0);
rb_define_method(AwesomeClass, "say_hi_to", rb_awesome_class_say_hi, 1);
}
VALUE rb_awesome_class_say_hi(VALUE self)
{
return rb_str_new2("Hello!");
}
VALUE rb_awesome_class_say_hi_to(VALUE self, VALUE r_name)
{
VALUE r_greeting = rb_str_new2("Hello, ");
rb_str_append(r_greeting, r_name);
rb_str_append(r_greeting, INT2NUM(33));
return r_greeting;
}
6. Including your new class
my_awesome_gem/lib/my_awesome_gem.rb
require 'my_awesome_gem/my_awesome_gem'
7. Compiling
$ rake clean compile
Modules and Classes
rb_define_module(module_name
)
Defines the module named module_name
.
VALUE AwesomeNewModule = rb_define_module("Awesome");
rb_define_module_function(ruby_module
, method_name
, implementation
, argc
)
Defines a function called method_name
under the module ruby_module
. Expects argc
arguments and calls implementation
when invoked in Ruby.
VALUE rb_module_say_hi(VALUE klass)
{
VALUE r_hello = rb_str_new2("Hello!");
return r_hello;
}
void Init_example()
{
VALUE AwesomeNewModule = rb_define_module("Awesome");
rb_define_module_function(AwesomeNewModule, "say_hi", rb_module_say_hi, 0);
}
rb_define_const(ruby_module_or_class
, constant_name
, value
)
Defines a constant under the Ruby Module or Class ruby_module_or_class
with the name constant_name
and value value
.
void Init_example()
{
VALUE AwesomeNewModule = rb_define_module("Awesome");
rb_define_const(AwesomeNewModule, "UNIVERSAL_ANSWER", INT2NUM(42));
}
rb_define_class_under(ruby_module
, class_name
, super_class
)
Defines a class under the Ruby module ruby_module
called class_name
and inheriting from super_class
.
void Init_example()
{
VALUE AwesomeNewModule = rb_define_module("Awesome");
rb_define_module_function(AwesomeNewModule, "say_hi", rb_module_say_hi, 0);
VALUE AwesomeClass = rb_define_class_under(AwesomeNewModule, "AwesomeClass", rb_cObject);
}
rb_define_singleton_method(ruby_class
, method_name
, implementation
, argc
)
Defines a class method called method_name
under the class ruby_class
. Expects argc
arguments and calls implementation
when invoked in Ruby.
VALUE rb_class_say_hi(VALUE klass)
{
VALUE r_hello = rb_str_new2("Hello!");
return r_hello;
}
void Init_example()
{
VALUE AwesomeNewModule = rb_define_module("Awesome");
VALUE AwesomeClass = rb_define_class_under(AwesomeNewModule, "AwesomeClass", rb_cObject);
rb_define_singleton_method(AwesomeClass, "say_hi", rb_class_say_hi, 0);
}
rb_define_method(ruby_class
, method_name
, implementation
, argc
)
Defines an instance called method_name
under the class ruby_class
. Expects argc
arguments and calls implementation
when invoked in Ruby.
VALUE rb_class_say_hi(VALUE klass)
{
VALUE r_hello = rb_str_new2("Hello!");
return r_hello;
}
void Init_example()
{
VALUE AwesomeNewModule = rb_define_module("Awesome");
VALUE AwesomeClass = rb_define_class_under(AwesomeNewModule, "AwesomeClass", rb_cObject);
rb_define_method(AwesomeClass, "say_hi", rb_class_say_hi, 0);
}
rb_ivar_set(ruby_object
, ivar_name
, value
)
Sets the instance variable ivar_name
into the object ruby_object
rb_ivar_set(self, rb_str_new2("@universal_answer"), INT2NUM(42));
rb_ivar_get(ruby_object
, ivar_name
)
Gets the instance variable ivar_name
from the object ruby_object
VALUE r_universal_answer = rb_ivar_get(self, rb_str_new2("@universal_answer"));
// => 42
Strings
rb_str_new(c_string
, length
)
Creates a new Ruby string with the value c_string
and length length
.
char *message = "Hello, World!";
VALUE r_message = rb_str_new(message, 13);
rb_str_new2(c_string
)
Creates a new Ruby string with the value string
. Length is inferred from the string, as long as it is null terminated.
char *message = "Hello, World!";
VALUE r_message = rb_str_new2(message);
// => Hello, World!
rb_str_dup(ruby_string_object
)
Creates a copy from a Ruby String object.
char *message = "Hello, World!";
VALUE r_message = rb_str_new2(message);
VALUE r_message_copy = rb_str_dup(r_message);
// => Hello, World!
rb_str_plus(ruby_string_object_1
, ruby_string_object_2
)
Concatenates two Ruby String objects, returning a new Ruby String as a result.
VALUE r_hello = rb_str_new2("Hello");
VALUE r_world = rb_str_new2(", World!");
VALUE r_hello_world = rb_str_plus(r_hello, r_world);
// => Hello, World!
rb_str_times(ruby_string_object
, ruby_fixnum_object
)
Repeats a Ruby String ruby_fixnum_object
times.
VALUE r_times = INT2NUM(16);
VALUE r_string = rb_str_new2("Na");
VALUE r_result = rb_str_times(r_string, r_times);
VALUE r_batman = rb_str_plus(r_result, rb_str_new2(" Batman"));
// => NaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNa Batman!
rb_str_substr(ruby_string_object
, begin
, length
)
Grabs a substring of a Ruby String object, starting at begin
with length
characters.
VALUE r_hello_world = rb_str_new2("Hello, World!");
VALUE r_hello = rb_str_substr(r_hello_world, 0, 5);
// => Hello
rb_str_cat(ruby_string_object
, c_string
, length
)
Takes the c_string
's first length
characters and appends it to an existing Ruby String.
VALUE r_batman = rb_str_times(rb_str_new2("Na"), INT2NUM(16));
rb_str_cat(r_batman, " Batman!", 8);
// => NaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNa Batman!
rb_str_cat2(ruby_string_object
, c_string
)
Takes the c_string
and appends it to an existing Ruby String. Length is inferred from the string, as long as it is null terminated.
VALUE r_batman = rb_str_times(rb_str_new2("Na"), INT2NUM(16));
rb_str_cat2(r_batman, " Batman!");
// => NaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNa Batman!
rb_str_append(ruby_string_object_1
, ruby_string_object_2
)
Appends ruby_string_object_2
into ruby_string_object_1
.
VALUE r_batman = rb_str_times(rb_str_new2("Na"), INT2NUM(16));
rb_str_append(r_batman, rb_str_new2(" Batman!"));
// => NaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNa Batman!
rb_str_concat(ruby_string_object
, ruby_object
)
Concatenates ruby_object
into ruby_string_object
. If ruby_object
is a Fixnum between 0 and 255, then it is converted to a character before it is copied. Otherwise, this function behaves exactly the same as rb_str_append
.
VALUE r_dull_hello_world = rb_str_new2("Hello, World");
rb_str_concat(r_dull_hello_world, INT2NUM(33));
// => Hello, World!
StringValueCStr(ruby_string_object
)
Takes a Ruby String object and converts it to a NULL terminated char *
VALUE r_hello_world = rb_str_new2("Hello, World!");
char *hello_world = StringValueCStr(r_hello_world);
// => Hello, World!
Arrays
rb_ary_new()
Creates a new Ruby Array object with 0 elements.
VALUE r_boring_empty_ary = rb_ary_new();
// => []
rb_ary_new2(size
)
Creates a new Ruby Array object with size
elements.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(10);
rb_ary_store(ruby_array
, index
, value
)
Stores value
(a Ruby object) on the index index
in the array ruby_array
.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(1);
rb_ary_store(r_array, 0, rb_str_new2("Hello!"));
// => ["Hello!"]
rb_ary_push(ruby_array
, value
)
Stores value
(a Ruby object) at the end of the array ruby_array
.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(1);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello!"));
// => ["Hello!"]
rb_ary_unshift(ruby_array
, value
)
Stores value
(a Ruby object) at the beginning of the array ruby_array
.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
rb_ary_unshift(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
// => ["Hello", "World!"]
rb_ary_pop(ruby_array
)
Removes the last element off of the array ruby_array
and returns it.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
VALUE r_world = rb_ary_pop(r_array);
// => World!
rb_ary_shift(ruby_array
)
Removes the first element off of the array ruby_array
and returns it.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
VALUE r_hello = rb_ary_shift(r_array);
// => Hello
rb_ary_entry(ruby_array
, index
)
Returns the array entry at index index
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
VALUE r_hello = rb_ary_entry(r_array, 0);
// => Hello
rb_ary_dup(ruby_array
)
Creates and returns a copy of the array ruby_array
.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
VALUE r_array_copy = rb_ary_dup(r_array);
// => ["Hello", "World!"]
rb_ary_to_s(ruby_array
)
Invokes the to_s
on the array.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
VALUE r_array_str = rb_ary_to_s(r_array);
# => "[\"Hello\", \"World!\"]"
rb_ary_join(ruby_array
, ruby_string_object
)
Creates a Ruby String by converting the elements of the array ruby_array
to Strings and joining them by ruby_string_object
. If Qnil
is passed, then no separator is used.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
VALUE r_greeting = rb_ary_join(r_array, rb_str_new2(", "));
# => "Hello, World!"
rb_ary_reverse(ruby_array
)
Reverts the order of the array ruby_array
.
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_new2(2);
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("Hello"));
rb_ary_push(r_array, rb_str_new2("World!"));
VALUE r_array_copy = rb_ary_reverse(r_array);
// => ["World!", "Hello"]
rb_ary_to_ary(ruby_object
)
Same as calling Array()
in Ruby.
VALUE r_value = INT2NUM(42);
VALUE r_array = rb_ary_to_ary(r_value);
// => [42]
Hashes
rb_hash_new()
Creates a new Ruby Hash
VALUE r_hash = rb_hash_new();
// => {}
rb_hash_aset(ruby_hash
, key
, value
)
Sets the key
as value
in the hash ruby_hash
. All of the 3 parameters have to be Ruby objects.
VALUE r_hash = rb_hash_new();
rb_hash_aset(r_hash, rb_str_new2("universal_answer"), INT2NUM(42));
// => {"universal_answer" => 42}
rb_hash_aref(ruby_hash
, key
)
Gets the value under key
in the hash ruby_hash
. Both parameters have to be Ruby objects.
VALUE r_hash = rb_hash_new();
rb_hash_aset(r_hash, rb_str_new2("universal_answer"), INT2NUM(42));
VALUE r_universal_answer = rb_hash_aref(r_hash, rb_str_new2("universal_answer"));
// => 42
Blocks
rb_block_proc()
Returns the proc that was given to the method.
if(rb_block_given_p()) {
VALUE r_proc = rb_block_proc();
}
rb_block_given_p()
Returns 1 if a block was given to the method. Otherwise, returns 0.
if(rb_block_given_p()) {
VALUE r_proc = rb_block_proc();
}
rb_yield(ruby_object
)
Yields ruby_object
.
if(rb_block_given_p()) {
VALUE r_val = INT2NUM(42);
r_yield(r_val);
}
rb_yield_values(ruby_object
, ruby_object
, ...)
Yields the values.
if(rb_block_given_p()) {
r_yield_values(INT2NUM(42), DBL2NUM(3.1415));
}