ruby - syntax error, unexpected '=', expecting keyword_end -

i have code:

class tvshow     attr_accessor :name     attr_accessor :tvdbid      def initialize(showname)         :name = showname     end end 

and gives me error:

syntax error, unexpected '=', expecting keyword_end         :name = showname 

what i'm wanting have public variable can use across entire class, that's i'm trying :name , :tvdbid.

i'm new ruby, let me know if i'm doing wrong.

change:

 def initialize(showname)    :name = showname  end 

to

 def initialize(showname)    @name = showname  end 

you can this:

attr_accessor :name, :tvdbid 

some examples:

class dog   def initialize(name)     @name = name   end    def show     puts "i dog named: " + @name   end    def add_last_name(last_name)     @name = @name + " " + last_name   end  end  d = dog.new "fred" d.show d.add_last_name("rover") d.show  --output:-- dog named: fred dog named: fred rover 

so instance variables freely accessible within class. however, cannot access instance variables in example above outside class:

d = dog.new "fred" puts d.name  --output:-- 1.rb:17:in `<main>': undefined method `name' #<dog:0x000001010a5b48 @name="fred"> (nomethoderror) 

here how can access instance variables outside class:

class dog   def initialize(name)     @name = name   end    def name  #getter     @name   end    def name=(val)  #setter     @name = val   end end  d = dog.new "fred" puts d.name  --output:-- fred 

those getters , setters pain type--especially if have 10 instance variables--so ruby provides shortcut:

class dog   def initialize(name, age)     @name = name     @age = age   end    attr_accessor :name, :age  end  d = dog.new("fred", 5) puts d.name puts d.age d.age = 6   #calls age=() method puts d.age  --output:-- fred 5 6 

but customary write attr_accessor line @ beginning of class.