Batch uploading data and using file_column

Rails
1

Hi I have a site which is working quite nicely at the moment but i want
to batch upload a large amount of data from a csv file. Up until now i
have added new items by hand through the forms, now i have a script to
do it. The script is fine up until i try to run the images through
file_column. The problem being that the images are stored as url’s. So
question is how can i present to url’s to file column in a way that it
understands how to follow them and get the files or alternatively how
can i get the images pointed to by the url and then present them to
file_column as if they were uploaded data.

thanks alot
regards
c

2

On 11 October 2006 18:34, Clare wrote:

Hi I have a site which is working quite nicely at the moment but i want
to batch upload a large amount of data from a csv file. Up until now i
have added new items by hand through the forms, now i have a script to
do it. The script is fine up until i try to run the images through
file_column. The problem being that the images are stored as url’s. So
question is how can i present to url’s to file column in a way that it
understands how to follow them and get the files or alternatively how
can i get the images pointed to by the url and then present them to
file_column as if they were uploaded data.

I think the best way is to handle such cases manually and not alter the
file_column. Something like that:

require ‘open-uri’

uri = “http://somewhere.example.com/myimage.gif”

open(uri) do |remote|
uploadedfile = StringIO.new(remote.read)
end

filename = File.basename(uri)
(class << uploadedfile; self; end).class_eval do
define_method(:local_path) { “” }
define_method(:original_filename) { filename }
define_method(:content_type) { “application/octet-stream” }
end

Then assign this uploadedfile to file_column attribute.

3

Dear Maxim
Thank you very much for replying but sadly I’m not yet good enough to
understand your fancy code.

I used it as follows but recieced the following error:

Sorry i usually have a better crack at solving issues but I don’t
understand what is going on in the section that begins (class <<
uploadedfile; self; end).class_eval. If you get time to reply that would
be excellent, if not thanks for giving me something to investigate
further.

regards
c

NameError: undefined local variable or method uploadedfile' for VoObject:Class from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.14.4/lib/active_record/base.rb:1129:in method_missing’

if imageLink.size > 0
uri =
“http://www.desperateseller.co.uk/DespSellPhotos/101946825798.jpg”
open(uri) do |remote|
uploadedfile = StringIO.new(remote.read)
end

filename = File.basename(uri)
(class << uploadedfile; self; end).class_eval do
define_method(:local_path) { “” }
define_method(:original_filename) { filename }
define_method(:content_type) { “application/octet-stream” }
end

vobject.primary_image = uploadedfile
end

Maxim K. wrote:

On 11 October 2006 18:34, Clare wrote:

Hi I have a site which is working quite nicely at the moment but i want
to batch upload a large amount of data from a csv file. Up until now i
have added new items by hand through the forms, now i have a script to
do it. The script is fine up until i try to run the images through
file_column. The problem being that the images are stored as url’s. So
question is how can i present to url’s to file column in a way that it
understands how to follow them and get the files or alternatively how
can i get the images pointed to by the url and then present them to
file_column as if they were uploaded data.

I think the best way is to handle such cases manually and not alter the
file_column. Something like that:

require ‘open-uri’

uri = “http://somewhere.example.com/myimage.gif”

open(uri) do |remote|
uploadedfile = StringIO.new(remote.read)
end

filename = File.basename(uri)
(class << uploadedfile; self; end).class_eval do
define_method(:local_path) { “” }
define_method(:original_filename) { filename }
define_method(:content_type) { “application/octet-stream” }
end

Then assign this uploadedfile to file_column attribute.

4

Clare wrote:

Thank you very much for replying but sadly I’m not yet good enough to
understand your fancy code.

Sorry i usually have a better crack at solving issues but I don’t
understand what is going on in the section that begins (class <<
uploadedfile; self; end).class_eval. If you get time to reply that would
be excellent, if not thanks for giving me something to investigate
further.
“class << uploadedfile; self; end” is a common technique to get
singleton class for that very instance to be able to extend it. I think
it could be done in a more simple way, I just took a code from
file_column’s test method that simulate an uploaded file.
In Rails, uploaded file is an IO object or the like (which has “read”
method) extended with some instance methods (local_path,
original_filename, content_type).

Regarding your error, I think you haven’t required ‘open-uri’ library
and this line
uploadedfile = StringIO.new(remote.read)
haven’t got executed. That’s probably why you’ve got “undefined
variable” error. I suggest you to put all the code inside open(uri)
block so you’ll ensure that nothing will happen if it is unable to open
that uri.

5

Thanks again,
got it working
really silly error

uploadedfile = nil

needs to be added before the open(uri) block.

really should have spotted that.
cheers
c