Coercing a scalar or an array to become an array

Question

Sometimes I want a variable to always be an array, whether its a scalar or already an array.

So I normally do:

[variable].flatten

which is compatible with ruby-1.8.5, 1.8.7, 1.9.x.

With this method when variable is a string (variable = "asdf"), it gives me ["asdf"]. If it's already an array (variable = ["asdf","bvcx"]), it gives me: ["asdf","bvcx"].

Does anyone have a better way? "Better" meaning more readable, more performant, succinct or more effective in other ways.

Answer 1

Array(variable)

should do the trick. It uses the little known Kernel#Array method.

Answer 2

The way I do, and think is the standard way, is using [*...]:

variable1 = "string"
variable2 = ["element1", "element2"]

[*variable1] #=> ["string"]
[*variable2] #=> ["element1", "element2"]