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The Singleton module implements the Singleton pattern.
To use Singleton, include the module in your class.
class Klass include Singleton # ... end
This ensures that only one instance of Klass can be created.
a,b = Klass.instance, Klass.instance a == b # => true Klass.new # => NoMethodError - new is private ...
The instance is created at upon the first call of Klass.instance().
class OtherKlass include Singleton # ... end ObjectSpace.each_object(OtherKlass){} # => 0 OtherKlass.instance ObjectSpace.each_object(OtherKlass){} # => 1
This behavior is preserved under inheritance and cloning.
This above is achieved by:
Making Klass.new and Klass.allocate private.
Overriding Klass.inherited(sub_klass) and Klass.clone() to ensure that the Singleton properties are kept when inherited and cloned.
Providing the Klass.instance() method that returns the same object each time it is called.
Overriding Klass._load(str) to call Klass.instance().
Overriding Klass#clone and Klass#dup to raise TypeErrors to prevent cloning or duping.
By default Singleton’s #_dump(depth) returns the empty string. Marshalling by default will strip state information, e.g. instance variables and taint state, from the instance. Classes using Singleton can provide custom _load(str) and _dump(depth) methods to retain some of the previous state of the instance.
require 'singleton' class Example include Singleton attr_accessor :keep, :strip def _dump(depth) # this strips the @strip information from the instance Marshal.dump(@keep, depth) end def self._load(str) instance.keep = Marshal.load(str) instance end end a = Example.instance a.keep = "keep this" a.strip = "get rid of this" a.taint stored_state = Marshal.dump(a) a.keep = nil a.strip = nil b = Marshal.load(stored_state) p a == b # => true p a.keep # => "keep this" p a.strip # => nil
By default, do not retain any state when marshalling.
# File singleton.rb, line 108 def _dump(depth = -1) '' end
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