Try methods

Examples.rb

def double(num)
	return num * 2
end

puts "TRY"
puts nil.try(:to_s, 0) #=> 0
puts 5.try(:to_s, 0) #=> "5"

puts
puts "PTRY"
puts "Hello ".ptry('double', "") #=> "Hello Hello"
puts "Hello ".ptry("Object.double", "") #=> "Hello Hello"
puts nil.ptry(:double, "").inspect #=> ""

Try.rb

class Object
	def try(method, default=nil)
		return default if self.class == NilClass
		obj = self
		obj.send(method) 
	end
	
	def ptry(method, default=nil)
		return default if self.class == NilClass

		param = self
		klass = Object
		klass, method = method.split('.') if method[/\./]		
		klass.send(method, param)
	end
end

Rails 2 does not have try so I rolled my own. I also included a ptry method for methods that don't like nils :)

class Object

  def try(method, default=nil)
    if respond_to? method
      send(method)
    else
      default
    end
  end

class Object
  ##
  #   @person ? @person.name : nil
  # vs
  #   @person.try(:name)
  def try(method)
    send method if respond_to? method
  end
end