cannot break down script into methods

I'm trying to break this script into methods, but run into an error:

thufir@ARRAKIS:~/projects/aggregator$ ruby rss2mysql.rb rss2mysql.rb:19: class definition in method body thufir@ARRAKIS:~/projects/aggregator$

The script is from:

Practical Ruby Gems http://www.apress.com/book/view/9781590598115 Chapter 5

rss2mysql.rb follows:

require 'rubygems' require 'active_record' require 'feed_tools' require 'yaml'

def all

      db = YAML.load_file("database.yml")     ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(         :adapter => db["adapter"],         :host => db["host"],         :username => db["username"],         :password => db["password"],         :database => db["database"])

class Items < ActiveRecord::Base #runtime error end

# If the table doesn't exist, we'll create it. unless Items.table_exists?   ActiveRecord::Schema.define do     create_table :items do |t|         t.column :title, :string         t.column :content, :string         t.column :source, :string         t.column :url, :string         t.column :timestamp, :timestamp         t.column :keyword_id, :integer         t.column :guid, :string         t.column :html, :string       end   end end

feed_url = 'Slashdot

feed=FeedTools::Feed.open(feed_url) feed.items.each do |feed_item|   unless (Items.find_by_title(feed_item.title) \           or Items.find_by_url(feed_item.link) \           or Items.find_by_guid(feed_item.guid))   puts "processing item '#{feed_item.title}' - new"

    Items.new do |newitem|        newitem.title=feed_item.title.gsub(/<[^>]*>/, '')        newitem.guid=feed_item.guid        if feed_item.publisher.name            newitem.source=feed_item.publisher.name        end        newitem.url=feed_item.link        newitem.content=feed_item.description        newitem.timestamp=feed_item.published        newitem.save     end   else     puts "processing item '#{feed_item.title}' - old"   end end

end #end all

now, if I comment out the def and end for the method "all", then the script runs beautifully. However, I'd like to at least break the script down into methods, but run into a problem because that class has to be defined at that time so far as I know.

thanks,

Thufir

Why don't you put the class definition before "def all"?

--Valentin

Thufir wrote:

I'm trying to break this script into methods, but run into an error:

[...]

Please refrain from posting the same thing several times. I answered this the first time you asked.

Best,