Find which alias method is called in rails model

Question

I am new to rails development. I have created some aliases to a method and I want to know that which alias is called.

I have this code.

alias_method :net_stock_quantity_equals :net_stock_quantity
alias_method :net_stock_quantity_gte :net_stock_quantity
alias_method :net_stock_quantity_lte :net_stock_quantity
alias_method :net_stock_quantity_gt :net_stock_quantity
alias_method :net_stock_quantity_lt :net_stock_quantity

def net_stock_quantity
  #some code here
end

I want to know that user has called which alias. Like if user calls net_stock_quantity_equals then I should know that the user has called net_stock_quantity_equals not net_stock_quantity.

Any help would be appreciated.

You're the one aliasing the method--sounds more like you actually want to generate a *real* method and do something based on which method is called. All alias_method does is alias a method. You're trying to do something different. — Dave Newton, Sep 05 '12 at 15:20
If you're trying to filter records dynamically you might find the "Ransack" gem helpful. https://github.com/ernie/ransack — Baylor Rae', Sep 05 '12 at 15:23
Yes I'm trying to minimize the methods in my model. I want to use if conditions in `net_stock_quantity` on the bases of which alias is called. Is it a better approach? If yes then tell me how can I do this and if it is not then tell me the alternative and better approach. Thanks. — Kashif Umair Liaqat, Sep 05 '12 at 15:25
@BaylorRae' I know about Ransack but I'm already using ernie/meta_search gem. — Kashif Umair Liaqat, Sep 05 '12 at 15:27
@KashifUmairLiaqat then can you use the `search` method in your controller (or where every you're using these methods)? — Baylor Rae', Sep 05 '12 at 15:31
@BaylorRae', if you have read about custom search methods in meta_search then you can understand better. This is a custom search method. How can I use a single custom search method for all the conditions i.e. equals, greate_than_equals, less_than_equals, less_than, greater_than? — Kashif Umair Liaqat, Sep 05 '12 at 15:34
@KashifUmairLiaqat I don't think you are supposed to add the methods to your model. Those methods are used by meta search to find records. — Baylor Rae', Sep 05 '12 at 15:47
@KashifUmairLiaqat you don't need to add the methods because they won't be called on your model. — Baylor Rae', Sep 06 '12 at 12:15
@BaylorRae' please have a look at [http://github.com/ernie/meta_search](http://github.com/ernie/meta_search). Here it is clearly mentioned that if you want to add custom search methods you can add the named scopes to your model. I added 5 named scopes, one for each condition, and they worked perfectly. But now I want to minimize my code by just using one method for all those conditions. — Kashif Umair Liaqat, Sep 06 '12 at 13:07
@KashifUmairLiaqat Are you trying to search something from an association? Could you please provide more code from your model so I can have a better understanding of what you're trying to accomplish. — Baylor Rae', Sep 06 '12 at 14:41

kits · Answer 1 · 2012-09-07T01:32:19.140

2

You could override method_missing to do it.

def method_missing(method_name, *args, &block)
  if method_name.to_s =~ /^net_stock_quantity_/ 
    net_stock_quantity method_name
  else
    super
  end
end

def net_stock_quantity(alias_used = :net_stock_quantity)
  #some code
end

There's a tutorial here doing something similar http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/ruby/ruby-for-newbies-missing-methods/

edited Sep 07 '12 at 01:32

answered Sep 07 '12 at 01:27

kits

476
2
4

Very nice answer and I am sure it works too. But there is a simple solution too. I will write that solution in a new answer to this question because the code cannot be properly displayed in comments. – Kashif Umair Liaqat Sep 07 '12 at 09:33

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 05 '12 at 15:45

1

It think you are approaching the problem incorrectly - instead of using alias methods, send through :equals, :gte, :lte etc. as a parameter to the method ie:

def net_stock_quantity(type = :all)
  # do something with the type here
end

answered Sep 05 '12 at 15:45

sachinr

189
3

Sachnir, if you go through the meta_search documentation you will be clear that we can't send those parameters(:equals, :gte, :lte) to a custom search method and if we can then tell me how? – Kashif Umair Liaqat Sep 06 '12 at 06:21

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 07 '12 at 09:36

0

def net_stock_quantity(alias_used = :net_stock_quantity)
    method_called = caller[0]
    #some code
end

The method_called will contain the name of called alias.

answered Sep 07 '12 at 09:36

Kashif Umair Liaqat

107
1
1
11

Find which alias method is called in rails model

3 Answers3