How do I create a function

rubyonrails-talk
1

Can someone explain to me how I create a function in ROR, where put it and how I access it? Do I just create another action? What is the correct way to do this? Any help would be appreciated.

Jason

2

Jason Hhh wrote in post #961994:

Can someone explain to me how I create a function in ROR,

By learning Ruby.

where put it and how I access it? Do I just create another action? What is the correct way to do this?

That depends on what you're trying to achieve.

Any help would be appreciated.

Help: go learn Ruby.

Jason

Best,

3

Marnen,

That was absolutely no help.

Thanks anyways.

Jason

4

Marnen,

That was absolutely no help.

Your question is very vague, and there is a lot of information available online… if you google ‘ruby function’ you will find this link, which gives an answer as broad as your question:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/programming/ruby/ruby-function-method-syntax/

Along with other links.

If you want more specifics please give them, we are not mind readers (most of us) - i.e. what are you doing… creating a new controller action? A function in a model? A helper? Did you create a Rails app? Do you have Rails installed? Do you have Ruby installed?

5

I have a rails app. I understand how to create a function in Rails.

I have a contact that is viewable by multiple users. I want to create a function to lock and unlock the contact. I have a field in the contact database called locked.

I assume I create a new function in the action controller or contact controller like:

def lock(contact_id)   c=Contact.find(contact_id)   c.locked = 1   c.save end

def unlock(contact_id)   c=Contact.find(contact_id)   c.locked = 0   c.save end

Is this the proper way to do this? How do I make sure it's not accessible through the through the URL: /Contacts/lock?

6

I have a rails app. I understand how to create a function in Rails.

I have a contact that is viewable by multiple users. I want to create a function to lock and unlock the contact. I have a field in the contact database called locked.

I assume I create a new function in the action controller or contact controller like:

def lock(contact_id) c=Contact.find(contact_id) c.locked = 1 c.save end

def unlock(contact_id) c=Contact.find(contact_id) c.locked = 0 c.save end

Is this the proper way to do this? How do I make sure it's not accessible through the through the URL: /Contacts/lock?

By keeping the function out of the controller. You may either place lock and unlock in a helper file, or make them as a part of the model itself. I, personally, vote for the latter. Rule of thumb: smart models, thin controller.

Happy hacking!

7

Thanks Brian!

8

Just to hopefully elaborate on things a bit here to help you out Jason

9

Can someone explain to me how I create a function in ROR

I have a rails app. I understand how to create a function in Rails.

I'm a little confused as to what you need, as these two posts seem to be contradictory.

I agree with the sentiment of Marnen's post; if you're confused at this stage about how to structure your code in Ruby (hint, there's very little difference in general terms with *any* other OO language - differences in idiom, syntax and some functionality, sure - but if you know Java or C#, you should be able to understand a Ruby class easy enough. My point here is that your question possibly seems to be partly about OO programming generally, not Rails specifically) or how to organise the structure of a Rails application, then there are some very good primers out there on the WWW, and several highly recommended books on the subject too.

Is this the proper way to do this? How do I make sure it's not accessible through the through the URL: /Contacts/lock?

I see you now already have a couple of suggestions, and I'll add the "private" keyword to the mix as another alternative... they're all choices, but I would prefer the approach of utilising methods on the model.

PS Please try not to top-post your replies, but to interleave them with appropriate quotes, to make following the conversation as easy as possible for readers.

Regards

10

Thanks Phoenix Rising for the detailed explanation. This is just what I needed. Much appreciated! I am understanding Rails more and more every day.

11

Jason Hhh wrote:

I have a rails app. I understand how to create a function in Rails.

I have a contact that is viewable by multiple users. I want to create a function to lock and unlock the contact. I have a field in the contact database called locked.

I assume I create a new function in the action controller or contact controller like:

def lock(contact_id)   c=Contact.find(contact_id)   c.locked = 1   c.save end

def unlock(contact_id)   c=Contact.find(contact_id)   c.locked = 0   c.save end

Is this the proper way to do this? How do I make sure it's not accessible through the through the URL: /Contacts/lock?   

You can create a 'private' section in your controller if you have something which belongs in the controller. The stuff in private is accessable from methods in the controller but not through the url.