Helper methods without object polluting

[tompng]

Instead of defining helper method to current workspace object, modify the input code to directly call helper method defined in a container object.
p conf.ap_name will be modified to p ::IRB::HelperMethod::Container.conf.ap_name.

Problem

Main objects are polluted by helper methods.

my_rails_app(dev)> user = User.first
my_rails_app(dev)> cd user
my_rails_app(dev)> cd
my_rails_app(dev)> user.controller
=> #<ApplicationController:0x0000000028cbd0>

Especially when using with step debug command, many objects were polluted.

binding.irb
objects.sample(4).each { it.foo } # step into each object
p objects.count { _1.respond_to? :conf } #=> 4

Polluted object may break application/library code that has respond_to? checks.
These codes were found in GitHub code search: respond_to?(:conf) respond_to?(:helper) respond_to?(:app) respond_to?(:controller) respond_to?(:reload!) respond_to?(:new_session).

Helper methods were method call to a polluted object, dynamically determined. We can't autocomplete or show a document dialog for helper methods

Changes

Before: Calling conf on polluted object is a helper method call, dynamically determined.
After: conf without receiver is always helper method call. conf with receiver, statically determined.

Statements	Before	After
obj.instance_eval { conf }	obj.conf	helper method
tap(&:conf)	helper method	self.conf
instance_eval { send(:conf) }	helper method	self.send(:conf)
eval("conf")	helper method	eval("conf")
self.conf	helper method	self.conf
self.tap { it.conf }	helper method	self.conf
class A; conf; end	A.conf	helper method

Helper method calls are colored BOLD just like commands. I think this syntax highlighting is required to avoid confusion.

Also implements completion and document dialog for helper method.

Pros/Cons

Pros

No polluting

Cons

conf and other helper methods such as controller app, reload! without receiver will be always treated as helper method, even if self have the same method.

irb> Data.define(:conf).new(42).instance_eval { conf }.class
#=> IRB::Context, not Integer

irb> def conf = 42
irb> [conf.class, self.conf.class]
# => [IRB::Context, Integer]

Another options

• Make helper methods a method defined on TOP_LEVEL main
• Make helper methods a method defined on Kernel