how to set an instance variable from a class method? - ruby-on-rails

I am trying to do a custom active record macro. But it right now seems impossible set an instance variable from within it's block.. here is what i am trying to do.
module ActiveRecord
class Base
def self.included(base)
base.class.send(:define_method, :my_macro) do |args|
# instance_variable_set for the model instance that has called this
# macro using args
end
end
end
end
i have tried class_eval, instance_eval.. but nothing seems to work or i don't how to use them.
Thanks in advance.
Edit: Let me try to explain better. I have a class method. An instance of the class calls this method. Now, this class method should instruct the instance to set an instance variable for itself.
Edit- this is how i want o use the macro
class MyModel < ActiveRecord::Base
my_macro(*args)
def after_initialize
# use the value set in the macro as #instance variable
end
end

Is this what you are thinking of:
class DynamicAdd
def add_method
self.class_eval do
attr_accessor :some_method
end
end
end
You can then do the following:
k = DynamicAdd.new
k.some_method = "hi"
should result in an undefined method error.
But,
k = DynamicAdd.new
k.add_method
k.some_method = "hi"
should work.
You can use this same format to define other types of methods besides attr_accessors as well:
class DynamicAdd
def add_method
self.class_eval do
def some_method
return "hi"
end
end
end
end

Hm.. Isn't included() a Module method? I don't think you can use that in a class like you have written. If you want to create a class method you can do
class Base
def self.my_method
end
or
class Base
class << self
def my_method
end
end
If all you want to do is to add an instance variable to an existing object, then you can use #instance_variable_set
class Base
class << self
def my_method(instance_of_base, value)
instance_of_base.instance_variable_set "#x", value
end
end
end
a = Base.new
a.class.send(:my_method, *[a,4])

Related

Why can 'self.method' not use a method in the same class?

Why when I do self.method from a class, I get an undefined method `my_method' for MyModule::MyOtherModule::MyClass:Class
module MyModule
module OtherModule
class MyClass < Base
def my_method
end
def self.my_self_method
my_method
end
end
end
end
I call my_self_method with send from an herited [sic] class:
class Base
class << self
my_method(method_name)
send("my_self_#{method_name}")
end
end
end
I don't understand it.
In your code, you're defining one instance method (my_method), and one class method (my_self_method).
This means you can call:
MyClass.my_self_method
or
MyClass.new.my_method
If you want my_method to be callable from my_self_method, you could define it as:
def self.my_method
...
end
Then the following would be available:
def self.my_self_method
my_method
end
Here's another alternative. There's a comment that suggests it's bad practice to call new.my_method from within a class method, but I've seen a pattern that applies this that I find quite idiomatic, for example:
class MyClass
def self.run(the_variables)
new(the_variables).process
end
def initialize(the_variables)
# setup the_variables
end
def process
# do whatever's needed
end
end
This allows a simple entry point of MyClass.run(the_variables). If your use case seems suitable, a similar pattern for you would be:
module MyModule
module OtherModule
class MyClass < Base
def my_method
end
def self.my_self_method
new.my_method
end
end
end
end
I'm sure there's scope to disagree with this pattern, and would be interested to hear others' opinions in the comments.
Hope this helps clear a few things up #N.Safi.

How to access class method from instance method in ruby on rails non activerecord model

I have a non activerecord rails model:
class Document
attr_accessor :a, :b
include ActiveModel::Model
def find(id)
initialize_parameters(id)
end
def save
...
end
def update
...
end
private
def initialize_parameters(id)
#a = 1
#b = 2
end
end
In order to find the Document, I can use:
Document.new.find(3)
So, to get it directly I changed the find method to
def self.find(id)
initialize_parameters(id)
end
And I get the following error when I run
Document.find(3)
undefined method `initialize_parameters' for Document:Class
How can I make this work?
You can't access an instance method from a class method that way, to do it you should instantiate the class you're working in (self) and access that method, like:
def self.find(id)
self.new.initialize_parameters(id)
end
But as you're defining initialize_parameters as a private method, then the way to access to it is by using send, to reach that method and pass the id argument:
def self.find(id)
self.new.send(:initialize_parameters, id)
end
private
def initialize_parameters(id)
#a = 1
#b = 2
end
Or just by updating initialize_parameters as a class method, and removing the private keyword, that wouldn't be needed anymore.
This:
class Document
attr_accessor :a, :b
def self.find(id)
initialize_parameters(id)
end
end
Is not trying to "access class method from instance method" as your title states. It is trying to access a (non-existent) class method from a class method.
Everything Sebastian said is spot on.
However, I guess I would ask: 'What are you really trying to do?' Why do you have initialize_parameters when ruby already gives you initialize that you can override to your heart's content? IMO, it should look something more like:
class Document
attr_accessor :a, :b, :id
class << self
def find(id)
new(id).find
end
end
def initialize(id)
#a = 1
#b = 2
#id = id
end
def find
# if you want you can:
call_a_private_method
end
private
def call_a_private_method
puts id
end
end

Ruby method and variable inheritance

I'm trying to access variables defined in class One, through inheritance, in class Two. I can't seem to find the right way of going about it - it seems to work for methods:
class One
class << self
def test
puts "I'm a method from class one"
end
end
end
end
And as a new object the variable is accessible:
class Two < One
test
end
#=> I'm a method from class one
class Test
attr_accessor :a
def initialize
#a = "hi"
end
end
Test.new.a
#=> "hi"
But I'm trying to do something like:
class One
class << self
a = "hi"
end
end
class Two < One
a
end
#=> NameError: undefined local variable or method `a' for Two:Class
For now I'm using class variables, but I'm sure there's a better way:
class One
##a = "hi"
end
class Two < One
##a
end
#=> "hi"
local and class instance variables wouldn't be accessible through inheritance in Ruby.
Limosine is an example of a class inheriting, a variable (brand) and a method, to_s
class Car
def initialize(brand)
#brand = brand
end
def to_s
"(##brand, ##model)"
end
end
class Limosine < Car
def initialize(brand, model)
super(brand)
#model = model
end
end
Use:
puts Merc.new("Mercedes", "Maybach")to_s

Passing a block to a dynamically created method

I'm creating a module that extends the functionality of an ActiveRecord model.
Here's my initial setup.
My class:
class MyClass < ActiveRecord::Base
is_my_modiable
end
And Module:
module MyMod
def self.is_my_modiable
class_eval do
def new_method
self.mod = true
self.save!
end
end
end
end
ActiveRecord::Base(extend,MyMod)
What I would like to do now is extend the functionality of the new_method by passing in a block. Something like this:
class MyClass < ActiveRecord::Base
is_my_modiable do
self.something_special
end
end
module MyMod
def self.is_my_modiable
class_eval do
def new_method
yield if block_given?
self.mod = true
self.save!
end
end
end
end
This doesn't work though, and it makes sense. In the class_eval, the new_method isn't being executed, just defined, and thus the yield statement wouldn't get executed until the method actually gets called.
I've tried to assign the block to a class variable within the class_eval, and then call that class variable within the method, but the block was being called on all is_my_modiable models, even if they didn't pass a block into the method.
I might just override the method to get the same effect, but I'm hoping there is a more elegant way.
If I understood you correctly, you can solve this by saving passed block to an instance variable on class object and then evaling that in instance methods.
bl.call won't do here, because it will execute in the original context (that of a class) and you need to execute it in scope of this current instance.
module MyMod
def is_my_modiable(&block)
class_eval do
#stored_block = block # back up block
def new_method
bl = self.class.instance_variable_get(:#stored_block) # get from class and execute
instance_eval(&bl) if bl
self.mod = true
self.save!
end
end
end
end
class MyClass
extend MyMod
is_my_modiable do
puts "in my modiable block"
self.something_special
end
def something_special
puts "in something special"
end
attr_accessor :mod
def save!; end
end
MyClass.new.new_method
# >> in my modiable block
# >> in something special
You can do this by assigning the block as a method parameter:
module MyMod
def self.is_my_modiable
class_eval do
def new_method(&block)
block.call if block
self.mod = true
self.save!
end
end
end
end

How to access accessor's instance variable from a subclass?

How to access attr_accessor's instance variable from a subclass?
class A
attr_accessor :somevar
#somevar = 123
puts #somevar
end
class B < A
def meth
puts #somevar
end
end
B.new.meth
puts nil...
P.S. I can use ActiveSupport.
You need to set the instance variable in an initialize method -- this gets called whenever a new class instance is created:
class A
attr_accessor :somevar
def initialize
#somevar = 123
end
end
First, you do not have a instance of A to assign a value. Put an initialize method on A so while creating an instance of B, you can pass somevar value as a parameter to the new function:
class A
attr_accessor :somevar
def initialize(somevar)
#somevar = somevar
end
end
class B < A
def meth
puts #somevar
end
end
B.new('LOL').meth

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