[ActiveRecord] strange issue, would like to understand before I wake up...

rubyonrails-talk
1

running 2.3.2

simple case (db table created : 'emails' with a :type field)

I have the following Email model

class Email < ActiveRecord::Base .... end

class RequestEmail < Email .... end

TESTING in the console : script/console Loading development environment (Rails 2.3.2)

Email.new

=> #<Email id: nil, sender_email: nil, subject: nil, content: nil, user_id: nil, created_at: nil, updated_at: nil, title: "mr", firstname: "", lastname: "Anonymous", type: nil> (Note : type is nil, not "Email" ... ?)

RequestEmail.new

=> #<RequestEmail id: nil, sender_email: nil, subject: nil, content: nil, user_id: nil, created_at: nil, updated_at: nil, title: "mr", firstname: "", lastname: "Anonymous", type: "RequestEmail">

exit

now TESTING again.. script/console Loading development environment (Rails 2.3.2)

RequestEmail.new

NameError: uninitialized constant RequestEmail ...const_missing

I'll appreciate some feedback , should I buy a 2nd glass ? LOL

thanks

2

found a trcik , but I don't understand why ....

In my ApplicationController require_dependency 'email'

3

TESTING in the console : script/console Loading development environment (Rails 2.3.2)

Email.new

=> #<Email id: nil, sender_email: nil, subject: nil, content: nil, user_id: nil, created_at: nil, updated_at: nil, title: "mr", firstname: "", lastname: "Anonymous", type: nil> (Note : type is nil, not "Email" ... ?)

RequestEmail.new

=> #<RequestEmail id: nil, sender_email: nil, subject: nil, content: nil, user_id: nil, created_at: nil, updated_at: nil, title: "mr", firstname: "", lastname: "Anonymous", type: "RequestEmail">

exit

now TESTING again.. script/console Loading development environment (Rails 2.3.2)

RequestEmail.new

NameError: uninitialized constant RequestEmail ...const_missing

I'll appreciate some feedback , should I buy a 2nd glass ? LOL

If you try an eval a constant that does not exist const_missing is
called (which by default raises NameError) Rails implements a const_missing that tries to load the file
containing the constant for you. Rails can't guess where you've put
your models, so this only works if you stick to the conventions:
email.rb contains Email, FooController is in foo_controller.rb etc.

If you use Email before RequestEmail then email.rb is loaded (which
defines both those classes) because Rails knows to load email.rb is
const_missing triggers on Email. WHen you do things the other way
round rails does not know what to do with RequestEmail since there is
no request_email.rb. require_dependency works because it loads email.rb

Fred