private_constants.rb

private_constants.rb

# A simple way to create private constants without all the noise of ruby's 'private_constant'
# 
# Before:
# class Foo
#   FOO = "bar"
#   private_constant :FOO
# end
#
# After:
# class Foo
#   constant :FOO, "bar"
# end
Class.class_eval do
  def constant(name, value)
    const_set(name, value)
    private_constant name
  end
end

class PrivateThings
  constant :MYCONST, "value"

  def this_will_work
    MYCONST
  end
end

PrivateThings::MYCONST # this will not work!