# Using a records "id" in validation

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-a-records-id-in-validation/63862>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [June 19, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-a-records-id-in-validation/63862 "2006-06-19T23:58:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/squeegy)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-a-records-id-in-validation/63862/1 "2006-06-19T23:58:57Z")

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I need to use an order’s id value in a validation. Basically, I am  
charging an order via a credit card API. I only want ot save the order  
if the credit card authorization was approved. I also want to send the  
order id to the credit card API as a transaction reference. And last  
but not least I want to add an error to the order object if the  
transaction is declined.

The problem is that I do not have an id for the order until I save it,  
but I don;t want to save it until I know the authorization was  
successful.

I don’t want to use an after\_create hook beacuse I want to do an  
“errors.add :card\_number” to prevent the saving and display a nice error  
to the user

Any advice?

heres my validation method so far:

def validate\_on\_create  
# validate that the credit card authorization is successful  
auth = CreditCard.authorize(self, :card =\> card\_number,  
:expiration =\> card\_exp,  
:cvv =\> card\_cvv)  
if auth[:result] == ‘A’  
self.authcode = auth[:authCode]  
else  
errors.add :card\_number, ‘^The credit card was declined.’  
end  
end

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/squeegy)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-a-records-id-in-validation/63862/2 "2006-06-20T00:16:04Z")

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I know this isn’t a direct answer, but could you consider storing a  
failed order in any case with a flag set to indicate that it was not  
authorized? This would give you a record of orders that fail which might  
be useful if you have problems with fraud attempts or even with the  
validation process. What if the validation problems are with the card  
authoriser rather than the card holder? At least you’d be able to get in  
touch with the customer and apologise. Also, if a customer contacts you  
and complains his card wasn’t authorized, at least you’ve some  
indication what the problem was.

One way of achieving what you want programmatically would be to have a  
“next order number” table with a single record with a single id field.  
Update this for each order and make sure the id field in your order  
table is not auto-increment. i.e. Set the order id from this reference  
table.

Julian

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**Author:** ![squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/squeegy)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-a-records-id-in-validation/63862/3 "2006-06-20T01:18:27Z")

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Curtis S. wrote:

> On 6/19/06, Julian G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:
> 
> > One way of achieving what you want programmatically would be to have a  
> > “next order number” table with a single record with a single id field.  
> > Update this for each order and make sure the id field in your order  
> > table is not auto-increment. i.e. Set the order id from this reference  
> > table.
> 
> I was with you up to the end. I would keep the ActiveRecord id  
> autonumber and create a separate field for your credit card  
> authorization id. This way it’s not tied to a primary key and you get  
> all of the rest of the AR magic.
> 
> You _will_ get a customer calling and complaining. They will be even  
> more upset if the order information was not captured. And it will  
> eventually turn into a headache. Better off to save the data. This  
> is 10 years of “call center” supervisory experience talking. 😉
> 
> -Curtis

Thanks guys, I think I am starting to understand this won’t really work  
as a validation anyway. Mainly because a validation error just doesnt  
seem like the place to report a declined card.

Looks like I will be saving it, then doing the authorization, and then  
flagging it as declined.

Thanks for the nudge in the right direction.

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**Author:** ![squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@squeegy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/squeegy)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 12:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-a-records-id-in-validation/63862/4 "2006-06-20T00:54:30Z")

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On 6/19/06, Julian G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> One way of achieving what you want programmatically would be to have a  
> “next order number” table with a single record with a single id field.  
> Update this for each order and make sure the id field in your order  
> table is not auto-increment. i.e. Set the order id from this reference  
> table.

I was with you up to the end. I would keep the ActiveRecord id  
autonumber and create a separate field for your credit card  
authorization id. This way it’s not tied to a primary key and you get  
all of the rest of the AR magic.

You _will_ get a customer calling and complaining. They will be even  
more upset if the order information was not captured. And it will  
eventually turn into a headache. Better off to save the data. This  
is 10 years of “call center” supervisory experience talking. 😉

-Curtis