Update a status field comparing dates after an action - ruby-on-rails

Question

this is the schema and my model for Visit (visit's status can be: Confirmed, Current, Expired and To be approved)
schema.rb
create_table "visits", force: true do |t|
t.datetime "created_at", null: false
t.datetime "updated_at", null: false
t.date "start"
t.date "end"
t.integer "idVisit"
t.integer "employee_id"
t.integer "visitor_id"
t.string "status", default: "Confirmed"
end
Visit.rb
class Visit < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :employee
belongs_to :visitor
default_scope -> { order(:created_at) }
validates :start, presence: true, uniqueness: {scope: [:end, :visitor_id]}
validates :end, presence: true
validates :visitor_id, presence: true
validates :employee_id, presence: true
validate :valid_date_range_required
def valid_date_range_required
if (start && end) && (end < start)
errors.add(:end, "must be after start")
end
end
end
Now my problem is that I need to compare for each visit, after each time I do show action in employees_controller.rb, the start and end date to Date.today (except for To be approved status); according to it I will change the status of visits in the database.
Here is what I did but probably there will be some mistakes since for now an error occurs at least, so I hope you could help me to fix it.
In Visit.rb I created this:
def check_visit_status(visit)
if visit.status != 'To be confirmed'
if visit.start <= Date.today && visit.end >= Date.today
visit.status = 'Current'
end
if visit.end < Date.today
visit.status = 'Expired'
end
end
end
Now in employees_controller.rb I have (I won't post it all):
class EmployeesController < ApplicationController
after_action :update_status, only: :show
def show
if logged_in?
#employee = Employee.find(params[:id])
#indirizzimac = current_employee.indirizzimacs.new
#visitor = current_employee.visitors.new
#visit = current_employee.visits.new
#visits = current_employee.visits.all
if params[:act]=='myData'
render 'myData'
elsif params[:act]=='myNetwork'
render 'myNetwork'
elsif params[:act]=='temporaryUsers'
render 'temporaryUsers'
elsif params[:act]=='guestsVisits'
render 'guestsVisits'
elsif params[:act]=='myAccount'
render 'myAccount'
else
render 'show'
end
else
render 'static_pages/errorPage'
end
end
def update_status
if #visits.any?
#visits.each do |visit|
check_visit_status(visit)
end
end
end
end
Thank you a lot in advance

Answer 1

I really have to thank eeeeeean for his immense help.
I figured out my problem so I want to post here my solution in order to help someone looking for the same thing I was asking for.
employees_controller.rb
class EmployeesController < ApplicationController
after_action :update_status, only: :show
def show
[...]
end
def update_status
if #visits.any?
#visits.each do |visit|
visit.check_visit_status
end
end
end
end
Visit.rb
def check_visit_status
if self.status != 'To be confirmed'
if self.start <= Date.today && self.end >= Date.today
self.update_attribute :status, 'Current'
end
if self.end < Date.today
self.update_attribute :status, 'Expired'
end
end
end

Answer 2

You need to call check_visit_status on an instance of Visit, but right now it's being called on self, which in this scope refers to the employees controller. Try this:
visit.rb
def check_visit_status
if self.status != 'To be confirmed'
if self.start <= Date.today && end >= Date.today
self.status = 'Current'
end
if self.end < Date.today
self.status = 'Expired'
end
end
end
Then call it like this:
employees_controller.rb
#visits.each do |visit|
visit.check_visit_status
end
That should get you out of that particular error.