One Lookup Table for Multiple Properties in a Model

rubyonrails-talk
1

How can one use the same lookup table for multiple columns in the same table?

e.g. let's say I have a lookup table with automobile makes (Audi, BMW, Chevrolet) , and then a "drivers" table with columns for primary car make, secondary car make, etc. I can't very well name them both make_id...?

Many thanks,

Brian

2

How can one use the same lookup table for multiple columns in the same table?

e.g. let's say I have a lookup table with automobile makes (Audi, BMW, Chevrolet) , and then a "drivers" table with columns for primary car make, secondary car make, etc. I can't very well name them both make_id...?

Change the key name in your has_one/belongs_to lines with:

:foreign_key - specify the foreign key used for the association. By default this is guessed to be the name of this class in lower-case and "_id" suffixed. So a Person class that makes a has_one association will use "person_id" as the default foreign_key.

3

You'll need :class_name, too.

class Driver   belongs_to :primary_make, :class_name => 'Make', :foreign_key => 'pri_make_id'   belongs_to :secondary_make, :class_name => 'Make', :foreign_key => 'sec_make_id'   belongs_to :favorite_make, :class_name => 'Make', :foreign_key => 'the_best_make_id' ...

  -- Wes