Logging returns true

[fnordfish]

See #64

Types of Changes

• Logging methods (like Console.info) consistently return true regardless of Output

Contribution

• I added tests for my changes.
• I tested my changes locally.
• I agree to the Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1.

[fnordfish]

Just realized, that this is not complete yet. A log not matching the current filter will still return nil. For example, with log level info Console.debug("test") will return nil

[ioquatix]

This looks somewhat reasonable to me.

I think if we had to establish a behaviour, it should be that the log operation returns truthy if it does something and falsey otherwise.

I believe if filter ... end already returns falsey if it isn't logged.

Regarding the other cases, I'm okay for them to return true if something was logged or not.

What do you think?

[fnordfish]

I have two thought:

1st: I assume ::Logger uses true as a universal return value to allow for log("message") and do_something_else

2nd: Personally, I like to have a consistent return value. My code should not need to care if the log has been written or not.
Consider this code

def do_something
  # more code
  Console.error("we did something") unless it_was_done
end

Now, in tests and development, you'll probably have error logging on, but in production, you might raise the log lever to fatal. Suddenly your method would return a different value.
If we ensure logging returns a uniform value, application code can rely on that and do what's right.

I've went ahead with returning true just because Console already returned truthy values (and a little bit to mimic ::Logger). I would be totally fine changing this and returning nil everywhere.

Anyways, If you have projects relying on truthy/falsey return values, let's do that, but also add some "jumps-in-your-eye" documentation :)

[ioquatix]

Suggested change

	retval = logger.call(MySubject, "Hello World", severity: :debug)
	result = logger.call(MySubject, "Hello World", severity: :debug)

[fnordfish]

fixed

[ioquatix]

If we are planning to return the same thing everywhere, why not always return nil?

In other words:

1. Always return true (current proposal)
2. Return true if logged, false otherwise (questionable behaviour/value)
3. Always return nil (my proposal).

[fnordfish]

I'm totally fine with always returning nil.

The current proposal was only to be more compatible with Rubies Logger.

[ioquatix]

Okay, please let me think about it.

[ioquatix]

I've decided to go ahead with always returning nil from Console::Filter.

Honestly, I could see different ways this could be implemented. Returning true/false is also interesting, because it might allow conditional behavior (if this was not logged, do something else). The question of whether something is logged or not, however, IMHO, should not affect program behaviour. So, I decided not to encourage that. In addition, returning true might encourage users to use Console... in a conditional and I also don't want to encourage that either.

[ioquatix]

Thanks for your contribution, closing in favour of #68.