# Model Advice **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [January 23, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931 "2008-01-23T15:41:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/1 "2008-01-23T15:41:23Z")
Hi- I have a single controller that’s associated with a single model. I would now like to create a whole bunch more models to use the same controller, is this a bad idea? If I use the scaffold generator (which takes the controller and model as inputs) will this wipe out all the work I have already done for the first model (in the views and controller)? What is the best way to go when you have a lot of models and a single controller? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/2 "2008-01-23T16:46:23Z")
I’m guessing you want to perform some operation on multiple models in the same action. You can use: script/generate model ModelName name:string this:integer that:boolean This lets you generate all the extra models (and migrations). You’ll then need to add them into the controller yourself. ---
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/3 "2008-01-23T17:24:04Z")
Nevermind…I looked it up, sorry for being lazy 🙂 So, a question on good practice: Having multiple models in one controller is a good/normal thing? ---
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/4 "2008-01-23T16:55:47Z")
Yes, I will essentially do the same things with the new model. What are the extra parameters doing in the generator? ---
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/5 "2008-01-23T17:25:16Z")
The extra (optional) arguments after the ModelName will prepopulate the generated migration file with the columns (and types) specified. ---
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/6 "2008-01-23T17:52:53Z")
Ok. Thanks very much for your feedback! ---
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/7 "2008-01-23T17:38:11Z")
There’s nothing inherently wrong with multiple models in a controller. Often times, though, you’re dealing with a single model and its associations (which are other models). For instance, finding a product and its category, brand, sizes, and colors. You only need: @product = Product.find(params[:id]) to get @product.brand, @product.category, @product.sizes, etc. There’s a really good screencast on doing CRUD with associations here: > **[\#73 Complex Forms Part 1 - RailsCasts](http://railscasts.com/episodes/73-complex-forms-part-1)** > > Short Ruby on Rails screencasts containing tips, tricks and tutorials. Great for both novice and experienced web developers. ---
**Author:** ![pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@pete](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pete)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/model-advice/126931/8 "2008-01-24T00:27:19Z")
I find it better, even though multiple controllers do very much the same thing, to have a separate controller for every model in the case that if I have to change something in one model I don’t have to split it up later on. It’s also more along the lines of the Rails way.