Helper for model?

rpardee · January 15, 2009, 2:27am

Hey All,

I find I’m writing a ton of nearly identical model methods to support
mass creation/update of child objects (a la the ‘complex forms’ series
of railscasts). Stuff like:

def existing_child_attributes=(updated_kids)
children.each do |kid|
unless kid.new_record?
atts = updated_kids[kid.id.to_s]
if atts
kid.attributes = atts
kid.save
else
children.delete(kid)
end
end
end
end

And likewise for a new_child_attributes= method.

I’d like to write these methods once generically & call the generic
versions from the various models where I need to do this. But it seems
that helper methods aren’t visible from within a model (right?). Where
can I put these generic methods so that they’re visible from my models?
I’m using rails 2.0.2.

Thanks!

-Roy

Roy P.
Research Analyst/Programmer
Group Health Center For Health Studies (Cancer Research Network)
(206) 287-2078
Google Talk: rpardee

rpardee · January 15, 2009, 4:20am

On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 8:26 PM, Pardee, Roy [email protected] wrote:

     kid.attributes = atts
I’d like to write these methods once generically & call the generic versions from the various models where I need to do this. But it seems that helper methods aren’t visible from within a model (right?). Where can I put these generic methods so that they’re visible from my models? I’m using rails 2.0.2.
You may want to check out the attribute_fu plugin:
http://github.com/giraffesoft/attribute_fu/commits/master

This wraps up this pattern cleaner than I could in my vain attempts.
It also provides some view helpers for displaying the models.

– Brandon

Training by Collective Idea: Ruby on Rails training in a vacation
setting
http://training.collectiveidea.com – San Antonio, TX – Jan 20-23

rpardee · January 15, 2009, 6:18am

I just posted a similar question regarding best practices when you have
methods you want to share across multiple AR models.

I ended up writing a module and sticking it in the lib directory. In
order to make these methods available to your models, simply include it
with:

class Post < ActiveRecord::Base
include MyModule
end

That seems to be a very neat and clean way to juggle these methods and
DRY up your model code somewhat.

– Josh
http://iammrjoshua.com

Brandon K. wrote:

On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 8:26 PM, Pardee, Roy [email protected] wrote:
     kid.attributes = atts
I’d like to write these methods once generically & call the generic versions from the various models where I need to do this. But it seems that helper methods aren’t visible from within a model (right?). Where can I put these generic methods so that they’re visible from my models? I’m using rails 2.0.2.
You may want to check out the attribute_fu plugin:
http://github.com/giraffesoft/attribute_fu/commits/master
This wraps up this pattern cleaner than I could in my vain attempts.
It also provides some view helpers for displaying the models.

– Brandon

Training by Collective Idea: Ruby on Rails training in a vacation
setting
http://training.collectiveidea.com ï¿½ San Antonio, TX ï¿½ Jan 20-23

rpardee · January 15, 2009, 6:32pm

Another option is to inject an abstract class model between AR and the
rest of your models.

“some class” < GenericModel < ActiveRecord

where GenericModel implements all manner of standard infrastructure
functionality that is written once. Very easy for a specific model to
override default behaviors if necessary.

Did the same thing with my controllers as well.

rpardee · January 16, 2009, 5:38pm

Ah yes–I see that thread now–thanks!

I’m on an airplane & can’t this minute check out the plugin Brandon
recommends, so I figured I’d try out the module approach you mention &
am having trouble.

I’ve got a file /lib/model_helper.rb w/the following contents:

module ModelHelper
def pretend_helper(msg)
puts(msg)
end
end

And a model in care_phase.rb that starts out like:

class CarePhase < ActiveRecord::Base
include ModelHelper

pretend_helper("hi!")

If I then open the console & type CarePhase.new I get this here:

Loading development environment (Rails 2.0.2)

CarePhase.new
NoMethodError: undefined method pretend_helper' for CarePhase(id: integer, name: string):Class from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/base.rb:1532:inmethod_missing’
from C:/railsapps/collabtrac/app/models/care_phase.rb:9
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:203:in
load_without_new_constant_marking' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:203:inload_file’
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:342:in
new_constants_in' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:202:inload_file’
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:94:in
require_or_load' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:248:inload_missing_constant’
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:453:in
const_missing' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:465:inconst_missing’
from (irb):1

Can anybody say what I’m doing wrong?

Thanks!

-Roy

rpardee · January 16, 2009, 6:15pm

Yes. In your module you’ve defined an instance method not a class
method.

But this:

class CarePhase < ActiveRecord::Base
include ModelHelper
pretend_helper("hi!")

Is the class trying to call the method, which fails because the class
doesn’t know about the ‘pretend_helper’ method.

What you have would work fine if you did this:

CarePhase.new.pretend_helper(‘hi’)

If you really do want a class method, try changing the method definition
in PretendHelper to:

def self.pretend_helper(msg)
puts msg
end

And then you would be fine to call:

CarePhase.pretend_helper(‘hi’)

Hope that helps.

– Josh
http://iammrjoshua.com

Roy P. wrote:

Ah yes–I see that thread now–thanks!

I’m on an airplane & can’t this minute check out the plugin Brandon
recommends, so I figured I’d try out the module approach you mention &
am having trouble.

I’ve got a file /lib/model_helper.rb w/the following contents:

module ModelHelper
def pretend_helper(msg)
puts(msg)
end
end

And a model in care_phase.rb that starts out like:

class CarePhase < ActiveRecord::Base
include ModelHelper
pretend_helper("hi!")
If I then open the console & type CarePhase.new I get this here:

Loading development environment (Rails 2.0.2)

CarePhase.new
NoMethodError: undefined method pretend_helper' for CarePhase(id: integer, name: string):Class from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/base.rb:1532:in method_missing’
from C:/railsapps/collabtrac/app/models/care_phase.rb:9
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:203:in
load_without_new_constant_marking' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:203:in load_file’
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:342:in
new_constants_in' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:202:in load_file’
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:94:in
require_or_load' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:248:in load_missing_constant’
from
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:453:in
const_missing' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:465:in const_missing’
from (irb):1

Can anybody say what I’m doing wrong?

Thanks!

-Roy

rpardee · January 18, 2009, 8:21pm

Ah, of course–thanks! I do want an instance method I think–want to
call the generics from instance methods in the class. I will
experiment.

Thanks!

-Roy