accessing variables in loaded source while in irb

Question

Say I have a file named test1.rb with the following code:

my_array = [1, 2, 3, 4 5]

Then I run irb and get an irb prompt and run "require 'test1'. At this point I am expecting to be able to access my_array. But if I try to do something like...

puts my_array

irb tells me "my_array" is undefined. Is there a way to access "my_array"

Answer 1

like this:

def my_array
    [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
end

Answer 2

No, there isn't. Local variables are always local to the scope they are defined in. That's why they are called local variables, after all.

Answer 3

In irb:

  eval(File.read('myarray.rb'))

Or you could drop to irb