i have your typical nested resource pattern, and at most any resource is one level deep... so for a model PurchaseOrder which is optionally nested under Customer ive worked up this before_filter...
but the problem is, i have my parent class name hard coded into the function... so i can either copy this to every controller (which i really know in my heart cant be appropriate) or ask for some input...
now i know all about resource_controller and the make_resourceful plugins... but they're all a bit too magical and over the top for my needs - as awesome as they may be.
anyhow... heres the function.
private def load_parent class_name = :customer parent_sym = "#{class_name.to_s}_id".to_sym parent_class = class_name.to_s.classify.constantize
# if there is a customer_id in params then load it... #if not return the current controllers class, constantized so i can do things like # @purchase_order = @parent.find(params[:id]) # in my actions and have it work regardless of the presence of a parent or not.
@parent = params[parent_sym] ? parent_class.find(params[parent_sym]).send (self.controller_name.tableize.to_sym) : self.controller_name.classify.constantize end
