Need help understanding self.abstract_class = true in AR

rubyonrails-talk
1

1) read my response to the ticket:

An abstract model means you can inherit from it without using STI.

class SuperModel < AR::Base   self.abstract_class = true end

class Foo < SuperModel end

Foo.table_name # => 'foos'

It's used in the CachedModel plugin. I'm not sure why it's a class and not a mixin though, but ok.

2) Two ideas, one is really hackish.

The hackish way:

http://rails.techno-weenie.net/tip/2005/11/19/validate_your_forms_with_a_table_less_model

The second is directly including ActiveRecord::Validations into your class. You may have to implement some of the ActiveRecord API for this though. I'm pretty sure the wiki has some info on this.

2

As Rick said, setting self.abstract_class = true means you can extend a class without STI kicking in. The class isn't really abstract in the strict sense; it can still be instantiated (whichever database adapter is used). Perhaps base_class or some other signifier (acts_as_base_class?) would have been less confusing.

Tom