# Getting column names from a record set **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [March 2, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-column-names-from-a-record-set/87458 "2007-03-02T18:26:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clemrock)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-column-names-from-a-record-set/87458/1 "2007-03-02T18:26:06Z")
Hello, I’m trying to get the column names associated w/ this record set: account\_all = Account.find(:all) Since account\_all is an array - how do I get the names? I know there’s got to be a simple way to do this. ---
**Author:** ![clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clemrock)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-column-names-from-a-record-set/87458/2 "2007-03-02T18:33:56Z")
On 3/2/07, Clem R. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hello, > > I’m trying to get the column names associated w/ this record set: > > account\_all = Account.find(:all) Since account\_all is an array - how do I get the names? account\_all.first.attributes.keys ed ---
**Author:** ![clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clemrock)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-column-names-from-a-record-set/87458/3 "2007-03-02T18:52:57Z")
> I’m trying to get the column names associated w/ this record set: > > account\_all = Account.find(:all) > > Since account\_all is an array - how do I get the names? Account.column\_names -philip ---
**Author:** ![clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clemrock)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-column-names-from-a-record-set/87458/4 "2007-03-02T18:53:57Z")
The column names are a property of the model, in this case Account, so you can try something like: account\_all = Account.find(:all) account\_all.each do |account| for col in Account.content\_columns col.human\_name: account.send(col.name) end end Here’s a good example of handling columns/rows: [http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/rails/pages/HowToExportToExcel](http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/rails/pages/HowToExportToExcel) Regards, Dave * * * Information and Educational Technology Kwantlen University College - 604-599-2120 “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” --Bahá'u’lláh Clem R. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Sent by: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid 02/03/2007 09:26 AM Please respond to removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid To removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid cc Subject [Rails] Getting column names from a record set Hello, I’m trying to get the column names associated w/ this record set: account\_all = Account.find(:all) Since account\_all is an array - how do I get the names? I know there’s got to be a simple way to do this. – Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clemrock](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clemrock)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-column-names-from-a-record-set/87458/5 "2007-03-02T19:13:41Z")
Perfect - exactly what I wanted! Thanks! Ed Hickey wrote: > On 3/2/07, Clem R. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Hello, > > > > I’m trying to get the column names associated w/ this record set: > > > > account\_all = Account.find(:all) > > Since account\_all is an array - how do I get the names? > > account\_all.first.attributes.keys > > ed