@prefix_options in ActiveResource

Hello,

Can anyone explain to me a certain behaviour of ActiveResource:

Assuming there is an ActiveResource class like the following:

class Shop < ActiveResource::Base
self.site = “http://site.com/operators/:operator_id
end

After I read a shop from the server, the ActiveResource instance does
not
contain operator_id in @attributes, and
consequently, no setter and getter methods.

A shop belongs to an operator, the attribute is present in the xml sent
and
I would really expect this to happen.

Instead of @attributes the attribute is present is @prefix_options:

#<Shop:0x1819f74 @prefix_options={:operator_id=>1} …

This happens regularly with all attributes present in the self.site
path.

If this is a feature, could anyone please enlighten me of its true
meaning,
for I find this
extremely irritating.

This is Rails 2.2.2


Best regards,
Yuri L.