and_begin_idiom.rb

# After reading this comment
# http://avdi.org/devblog/2010/08/02/using-and-and-or-in-ruby/#comment-1098 ,
#
# I became aware of a cool idiom for Ruby.
#
# I've seen this in a lot of cases:

if (variable = expression_or_method(options))
  variable.calculate_something
  do_other_stuff(variable)
end

# This is another way to code the same concept:

variable = expression_or_method(options) and begin
  variable.calculate_something
  do_other_stuff(variable)
end

# The former case issues a warning because we're using = in an if statement.
# The latter seems more semantic to me too.
# What do you think??? Comments below!

# Another more explicit alternative (though I prefer the first option):

unless (variable = expression_or_method(options)).nil?
  variable.calculate_something
  do_other_stuff(variable)
end