Feature #16043: `$LOAD_PATH.resolve_feature_path` should not raise

• Status: Closed
• Assignee: -
• Target version: -

[deivid (David Rodríguez)]

When I first tried this method, I was expecting it to return nil when the given feature is not found. This is because I read in the docs and discussion that this method only searches the feature in the LOAD_PATH, but does not attempt to load it. Raising a load error makes it look that this method tries to load the feature, but I don't think it does that.

Also returning nil seems friendlier to me because the "feature not found" case is more like an expected outcome of the method than a real error condition, so in most usages this error will actually be rescued for control flow.

I attach a patch with the change, and link to the GH PR: https://github.com/ruby/ruby/pull/2317.

[shevegen (Robert A. Heiler)]

read in the docs and discussion that this method only searches the feature in the LOAD_PATH,
but does not attempt to load it. Raising a load error makes it look that this method tries
to load the feature, but I don't think it does that.

I had a look at the tracker:

https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/15230

And I agree with you in the sense that mame did not mandate that the method should raise,
so it probably should not raise (or it should be mentioned in the documentation, IMO).

I have no opinion on what it should return but I think either way it would be best to
specify it, to less confusion by other ruby users. It may be best to ask mame directly
whether he agrees with your comment + patch. :)

[deivid (David Rodríguez)]

Thanks for having a look and for linking to the original discussion!

[jeremyevans0 (Jeremy Evans)]

• Tracker changed from Bug to Feature
• ruby -v deleted (ruby 2.7.0dev)
• Backport deleted (2.5: UNKNOWN, 2.6: UNKNOWN)

[Eregon (Benoit Daloze)]

Agreed, I added it to the next dev-meeting agenda (#17299)

[matz (Yukihiro Matsumoto)]

Accepted.

Matz.

[znz (Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA)]

• Status changed from Open to Closed

Applied in changeset git|4dfc5496b7b64a063b36cbabe95b43abe9fb48cd.

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