Ruby setter idiom

Question

I'm working on a `Chart` class and it has a `margin` parameter, that holds `:top`, `:bottom`, `:right` and `:left` values. My first option was to make `margin` a setter and set values like this: ``` # Sets :left and :right margins and doesn't alter :top and :bottom chart.margins = {:left => 10, :right => 15} ``` It's nice, because it is clearly a setter, but, after some thought, I think it could be confusing too: the user might think that margins contains only `:left` and `:right` values, what is not right. Another option is eliminate `=` and make it an ordinary method: ``` chart.margins(:left => 10, :right => 15) ``` With this syntax, it's easy to figure out what is happening, but it is not a standard setter and conflicts with `margins` getter. And there's still another option: ``` chart.margins(:left, 10) chart.margins(:right, 15) ``` I don't know what to think about this. For me, it is obvious the method is a setter, but this time I cannot set multiple values with just one call and…

Accepted Answer

You could also make a Margin class to enjoy the following clear syntax:

```
class Margin
    attr_accessor :left, :right, :top, :bottom
    ...
end

class Chart
    attr_accessor :margins
    ...
 end

chart.margins.left = 10
puts chart.margins.right
```

Ruby setter idiom

Solution

Problem