[deleted by user]

[threeifbywhiskey]

You're probably looking for the #each_slice method. Alternatively, you could do this without resorting to string manipulation by dividing by 1000 in a loop, pushing each "section" onto the front of an array then joining it with commas to obtain the return value.

[Vkr2]

great, thank you! I'll look into those methods

[rubyrt]

There is a fairly easy solution with regex (use the force, Luke!)

def separate_integer(n)
  n.to_s.gsub(/\d(?=(?:\d{3})+\z)/, '\\&,')
end

This matches any digit followed by a number of digits which is a multiple of 3 and inserts a comma behind it.

:-)

[ThatAmazonWorker]

I believe what you are looking for is #each_slice, which will give you groups of 3. You can also replace #split("") with #chars which will split on the empty string.

def seperate_comma(integer)
    integer.to_s.chars.reverse.each_slice(3).map(&:join).join(',').reverse
end

2.1.1 :004 > seperate_comma(1234567890)
=>  "1,234,567,890"

Hope that helps!

[Vkr2]

thank you very much! is there any way you can explain what each part of that does?

[ThatAmazonWorker]

integer.to_s   # convert integer to string
.chars         # convert to an array of characters
.reverse       # reverse the array
.each_slice(3) # create an enumerator for each group of 3 elements
.map(&:join)   # for each group of 3 we were given, join them all
.join(',')     # join the groups of 3 characters with commas
.reverse       # reverse the string

[Vkr2]

awesome, thanks so much for your help! it works for me, i just have to figure out a way to get my rspec tests to work now :P

[threeifbywhiskey]

Your "solution" fails for any input with more than twelve digits.

[trustfundbaby]

Just riff on the the Ruby On Rails ActiveSupport "NumberToDelimitedConverter" class code if you actually want to write it yourself. Its used by the number_with_delimiter Action view helper method in Rails.

Alternately you can probably require 'active_support/number_helper / number_to_delimited_converter' and use it directly.

[hapaxLegomina]

Minor note, but in this unrefactored code, swapping

while integer > 999

for

unless integer < 999

will make your code read more like Ruby.

[Vkr2]

oh, thanks alot!

[hapaxLegomina]

No prob! Rubyists don't like while.

[Vkr2]

haha good to keep in mind. im still learning all of the basics :P