Ruby return statement does not work with super keyword?

Question

class Parent
  def test
    return
  end
end

class Child < Parent
  def test
    super
    p "HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!"
  end
end

c = Child.new
c.test

I though that, since the test method from the Parent class immediately uses the return statement, it should not be possible to print the line of the Child class. But it is indeed printed. Why is that?

Ruby 1.8.7, Mac OSX.

Answer 1

Another way to think of the call to super in this context is if it were any other method:

class Parent
  def foo
    return
  end
end

class Child < Parent
  def test
    foo
    p "THIS SEEMS TOTALLY REASONABLE!"
  end
end

c = Child.new
c.test
# => "THIS SEEMS TOTALLY REASONABLE!"

If you really wanted to prevent the call to p, you need to use the return value from super in a conditional:

class Parent
  def test
    return
  end
end

class Child < Parent
  def test
    p "THIS SEEMS TOTALLY REASONABLE!" if super
  end
end

c = Child.new
c.test
# => nil