Rails: Better way to create variables for views - ruby-on-rails

Question

I am totally new to Ruby, and Rails. Currently, I am using helper methods. How can I write the same code as this in my Model 'User' so as to access all these variables from controller and view?
Writting code this way in helper is 100% functional:
module HomeHelper
def init(user_id)
#friends = Array.new
#followers = Array.new
#user = User.find_by_id(user_id) #Get User
#friends = #user.users #Get all his friends
#
#statuses = Array.new #
#friends.each do |friend| #
#statuses += friend.statuses #Get all statuses for 'a' friend, then loop
end #
#statuses += #user.statuses #
#statuses = #statuses.sort_by {|status| status.created_at}.reverse!
#friendsof = Array.new
#filtered_friendsof = Array.new
#friends.each do |friend|
#friendsof += friend.users
end
#friendsof.each do |friendof|
unless (#friends.include?(friendof))
if #user != friendof
#filtered_friendsof << friendof
end
end
end
end
#filtered_friendsof = #filtered_friendsof.uniq
end
Controller
class HomeController < ApplicationController
def index
#user_id=3
end
end
Model:
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
has_many :statuses
has_and_belongs_to_many(:users,
:join_table => "user_connections",
:foreign_key => "user1_id",
:association_foreign_key => "user2_id")
#has_many :user_connections
end

Answer 1

Home controller:
class HomeController < ApplicationController
def index
#user = User.find(3)
end
end
User model:
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
has_many :statuses
has_and_belongs_to_many :friends,
:class_name => 'User'
:join_table => "user_connections",
:foreign_key => "user1_id",
:association_foreign_key => "user2_id"
def combined_statuses
(friends.map(&:statuses) + statuses).flatten.
sort_by {|status| status.created_at}.reverse!
end
end
Now, you don't need your helper method and in your view you can use:
#user.friends # instead of #friends
#user.combined_statuses # instead of #statuses
I'll let you figure out the rest, but I hope you get the general idea of pushing the logic into the model.

Answer 2

Most of that logic belongs in the User model. Nothing else needs to be actually doing those computations, and the User model has access to all the relevant pieces. There are additionally several other improvements that can be made. I'll try to add comments below to indicate these improvements.
Model
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
has_many :statuses
has_and_belongs_to_many :friends, # now you can just say user.friends
:class_name => 'User', # makes more sense semantically
:join_table => "user_connections",
:foreign_key => "user1_id",
:association_foreign_key => "user2_id"
def friends_statuses
(friends.map(&:statuses).flatten + statuses).sort_by!(&:created_at).reverse
# Ruby has many great methods for Arrays you should use.
# You can often avoid instantiating variables like the empty Arrays you have.
end
def second_order_friends
(friends.map(&:friends).flatten.uniq - friends) - [self]
end
end
Controller
class HomeController < ApplicationController
def index
user = User.find(7) # how do you decide which user you're displaying things for?
# this might be better off in 'show' rather than 'index'
# here you can call all the methods you have for 'User', such as:
# user.friends, user.statuses, user.friends_statuses, user.second_order_friends
# to make things accessible in the view, you just need an #variable, e.g.:
#friends = user.friends
#latest_statuses = user.friends_statuses.first(10)
end