because I am using Filemaker pro 9 and the Rfm extension I cannot use
ActiveRecord. But of course I would like to use the models to have my
database connection, selection things in.
But I can’t manage to let this work.
This is one of the many things I tried:
the controller:
class AnimalsController < ApplicationController
def index
@id= Animal.item
end
end
the model:
class Animal
def item
return 2
end
end
I hope someone can see the (probably stupid) fault here 
thanxs allot !
gr heldopslippers
Frederick C. wrote:
Le 25 Mar 2008 � 22:08, Heldop S. a �crit :
class AnimalsController < ApplicationController
def index
@id= Animal.item
end
end
You’ve created an instance method called item in your model, but
you’re using it as a class method. I can’t guess what you’re trying to
do, but either you change your controller so that it’s working with an
instance of Animal, or make the item method a class method (def
self.item …)
Fred
thanxs for the reply ! 
and well what i want is to have al my database methods in the model (of
course 
).
But beceause I use Rfm I can not use ActiveRecord.
this is a sample code that should (I think work). but doens’t …
the controller:
class AnimalsController < ApplicationController
def index
@id = Animals.item
end
end
model:
class Animals
def item
return 2
end
end
The Animals should be a class and the item should be a method.
but when I try to run this it gives: undefined method `item’ for
Animals:Class
why ?
Le 25 Mar 2008 à 22:08, Heldop S. a écrit :
class AnimalsController < ApplicationController
def index
@id= Animal.item
end
end
You’ve created an instance method called item in your model, but
you’re using it as a class method. I can’t guess what you’re trying to
do, but either you change your controller so that it’s working with an
instance of Animal, or make the item method a class method (def
self.item …)
Fred
Heldop S. wrote:
@id = Animals.item
class Animals
def item
The Animals should be a class and the item should be a method.
but when I try to run this it gives: undefined method `item’ for
Animals:Class
As Fred pointed out, you have defined an instance method, but you are
using it like a class method.
Class methods are methods invoked on a class and defined like this (not
the reference to “self” which here stands for the class itself):
class Animals
def self.item
return 2
end
end
These methods are independent of any particular Animal (known as
instances). They are designed to allow you to provide functionality
about the class itself, such as creating new instances, etc. You call
them like this:
Animals.item
Instance methods are methods invoked on a particular item of a class (an
instance of that class). These allow you to manipulate or investigate
specific instances of your class and are defined like this:
class Animals
def item
return 2
end
end
You call this on a particular Animal. You might get this from another
method, or create a new one yourself:
my_animal = Animals.new
Then you can call this instance method:
my_animal.item
These concept of class and instance and the distinction between the
methods for each are at the core of Object Oriented Programming.
