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Lake Denman

2009-Feb-04 19:37 UTC

We don''t need no stinking Badges! Guidance, anyone?

Hi, Thanks for taking a look at this. I am in need of some guidance for
a particular problem:

My Requirements:
The concept of a user
The concept of a badge

A badge is simply a small image over the user''s avatar that displays
extra information about the user.
An admin user will be able to assign a badge to any user and the
assigned badge will become the user''s current badge, displayed for all
the world to see.

Not required for now but required in the future: a user will be able to
choose from a list of badges and create their own custom badges.


The Way of the Lost:

After toying with these requirements and bits of code for a few days, I
have decided to ask for help.
Please enlighten me on a better, a more rails way of implementing this.
I am truly curious to know. There MUST be a better way!


RELATIONSHIPS:

I decided to implement the requirements by using a HasManyThrough
association.
I have three classes that collaborate: User, Badge, UserBadge

  class User < ActiveRecord::Base
    has_many :user_badges
    has_many :badges, :through => :user_badges
    has_one  :current_badge, :class_name => "UserBadge",
:conditions =>
{ :current => true }
  end

  class Badge < ActiveRecord::Base
    # t.string   :title
    # t.string   :image_file_name
    # t.string   :image_content_type
    # t.integer  :image_file_size
    # t.datetime :image_updated_at
    # t.timestamps

    has_many :user_badges
    has_many :users, :through => :user_badges
  end

  class UserBadge < ActiveRecord::Base

    #  t.integer :user_id
    #  t.integer :badge_id
    #  t.boolean :current, :default => false
    #  t.timestamps

    belongs_to :user
    belongs_to :badge
  end

ASSIGNING A CURRENT BADGE:

 I need a way to assign a badge to a user, so I created an attr_accessor
in the User class called :assign_current_badge
 Then, I override the assign_current_badge setter method.

 The assign_current_badge=(badge_id) method:
  * accepts a badge_id as a formal parameter
  * updates any other current user_badges to "current=false" with the
deactivate_badges method
  * checks for existance of a user_badge with the user''s id and
badge_id
    * setting the user_badge.current to true if it exists
    * creating and setting the user_badge.current to true if it does not
exist
  * sets the user''s current_badge_id to the badge_id


 class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  ... # relationships

  attr_accessor :assign_current_badge

  def assign_current_badge=(badge_id)
    deactivate_badges
    if UserBadge.exists?(:user_id => id, :badge_id => badge_id)
      user_badges.find_by_badge_id(badge_id).update_attribute(:current,
true)
    else
      user_badges.create!(:badge => Badge.find(badge_id), :current =>
true)
    end
    self.current_badge_id = badge_id
  end

  def deactivate_badges
    user_badges.update_all("current = 0")
  end
 end

PROBLEMS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED:

  The main problem I encounter is setting the current badge to a blank
value through the user''s edit form.
  "Couldn''t find Badge with ID=" is being raised since there
really is
no badge with a blank id.
  This tells me, obviously, that there is a better way to go about this.
My gut tells me there is something shady about passing in the badge_id
instead of an existing badge object.

  - form_for @user, :url => admin_user_path(@user) do |f|
    = f.error_message
    # ... more fields
    %div
      = f.label :assign_current_badge
      = f.select :assign_current_badge, Badge.all.map {|b| [b.title,
b.id]}, { :selected => @user.current_badge_id, :include_blank => true }
    # ... submit button

Finale:
  If you have any advice for me, please reply. Hopefully I explained my
situation well enough through code and writing. If you would like me to
elaborate on anything, just ask.
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

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Julian Leviston

2009-Feb-05 00:02 UTC

head link

Re: We don''t need no stinking Badges! Guidance, anyone?

Could you explain your problem more clearly? The rest was beautiful.

Blog: http://random8.zenunit.com/
Learn rails: http://sensei.zenunit.com/

On 05/02/2009, at 6:37 AM, Lake Denman <rails-mailing-list@andreas- 
s.net> wrote:
>
> Hi, Thanks for taking a look at this. I am in need of some guidance  
> for
> a particular problem:
>
> My Requirements:
> The concept of a user
> The concept of a badge
>
> A badge is simply a small image over the user''s avatar that
displays
> extra information about the user.
> An admin user will be able to assign a badge to any user and the
> assigned badge will become the user''s current badge, displayed for
all
> the world to see.
>
> Not required for now but required in the future: a user will be able  
> to
> choose from a list of badges and create their own custom badges.
>
>
> The Way of the Lost:
>
> After toying with these requirements and bits of code for a few  
> days, I
> have decided to ask for help.
> Please enlighten me on a better, a more rails way of implementing  
> this.
> I am truly curious to know. There MUST be a better way!
>
>
> RELATIONSHIPS:
>
> I decided to implement the requirements by using a HasManyThrough
> association.
> I have three classes that collaborate: User, Badge, UserBadge
>
>  class User < ActiveRecord::Base
>    has_many :user_badges
>    has_many :badges, :through => :user_badges
>    has_one  :current_badge, :class_name => "UserBadge",
:conditions =>
> { :current => true }
>  end
>
>  class Badge < ActiveRecord::Base
>    # t.string   :title
>    # t.string   :image_file_name
>    # t.string   :image_content_type
>    # t.integer  :image_file_size
>    # t.datetime :image_updated_at
>    # t.timestamps
>
>    has_many :user_badges
>    has_many :users, :through => :user_badges
>  end
>
>  class UserBadge < ActiveRecord::Base
>
>    #  t.integer :user_id
>    #  t.integer :badge_id
>    #  t.boolean :current, :default => false
>    #  t.timestamps
>
>    belongs_to :user
>    belongs_to :badge
>  end
>
> ASSIGNING A CURRENT BADGE:
>
> I need a way to assign a badge to a user, so I created an  
> attr_accessor
> in the User class called :assign_current_badge
> Then, I override the assign_current_badge setter method.
>
> The assign_current_badge=(badge_id) method:
>  * accepts a badge_id as a formal parameter
>  * updates any other current user_badges to "current=false" with
the
> deactivate_badges method
>  * checks for existance of a user_badge with the user''s id and  
> badge_id
>    * setting the user_badge.current to true if it exists
>    * creating and setting the user_badge.current to true if it does  
> not
> exist
>  * sets the user''s current_badge_id to the badge_id
>
>
> class User < ActiveRecord::Base
>  ... # relationships
>
>  attr_accessor :assign_current_badge
>
>  def assign_current_badge=(badge_id)
>    deactivate_badges
>    if UserBadge.exists?(:user_id => id, :badge_id => badge_id)
>      user_badges.find_by_badge_id(badge_id).update_attribute(:current,
> true)
>    else
>      user_badges.create!(:badge => Badge.find(badge_id), :current =>
> true)
>    end
>    self.current_badge_id = badge_id
>  end
>
>  def deactivate_badges
>    user_badges.update_all("current = 0")
>  end
> end
>
> PROBLEMS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED:
>
>  The main problem I encounter is setting the current badge to a blank
> value through the user''s edit form.
>  "Couldn''t find Badge with ID=" is being raised since
there really is
> no badge with a blank id.
>  This tells me, obviously, that there is a better way to go about  
> this.
> My gut tells me there is something shady about passing in the badge_id
> instead of an existing badge object.
>
>  - form_for @user, :url => admin_user_path(@user) do |f|
>    = f.error_message
>    # ... more fields
>    %div
>      = f.label :assign_current_badge
>      = f.select :assign_current_badge, Badge.all.map {|b| [b.title,
> b.id]}, { :selected => @user.current_badge_id, :include_blank =>  
> true }
>    # ... submit button
>
> Finale:
>  If you have any advice for me, please reply. Hopefully I explained my
> situation well enough through code and writing. If you would like me  
> to
> elaborate on anything, just ask.
> -- 
> Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>
> >
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Harold

2009-Feb-05 02:33 UTC

head link

Re: We don''t need no stinking Badges! Guidance, anyone?

Why do you even need a UserBadge model?

I would have User model, a Badge model, where the relationship is User
belongs_to :badge, and badge has_many :users.

Then you can simply assign it with some_user.badge = some_badge. It
seems like you''re adding complexity with the UserBadge model and the
current attribute.

Maybe I''m missing something but looks like, from the requirements
you''ve outlined, you can drop that model altogether, and keep your
design simple...

-H

On Feb 4, 2:37 pm, Lake Denman
<rails-mailing-l...-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org>
wrote:> Hi, Thanks for taking a look at this. I am in need of some guidance for
> a particular problem:
>
> My Requirements:
> The concept of a user
> The concept of a badge
>
> A badge is simply a small image over the user''s avatar that
displays
> extra information about the user.
> An admin user will be able to assign a badge to any user and the
> assigned badge will become the user''s current badge, displayed for
all
> the world to see.
>
> Not required for now but required in the future: a user will be able to
> choose from a list of badges and create their own custom badges.
>
> The Way of the Lost:
>
> After toying with these requirements and bits of code for a few days, I
> have decided to ask for help.
> Please enlighten me on a better, a more rails way of implementing this.
> I am truly curious to know. There MUST be a better way!
>
> RELATIONSHIPS:
>
> I decided to implement the requirements by using a HasManyThrough
> association.
> I have three classes that collaborate: User, Badge, UserBadge
>
>   class User < ActiveRecord::Base
>     has_many :user_badges
>     has_many :badges, :through => :user_badges
>     has_one  :current_badge, :class_name => "UserBadge",
:conditions =>
> { :current => true }
>   end
>
>   class Badge < ActiveRecord::Base
>     # t.string   :title
>     # t.string   :image_file_name
>     # t.string   :image_content_type
>     # t.integer  :image_file_size
>     # t.datetime :image_updated_at
>     # t.timestamps
>
>     has_many :user_badges
>     has_many :users, :through => :user_badges
>   end
>
>   class UserBadge < ActiveRecord::Base
>
>     #  t.integer :user_id
>     #  t.integer :badge_id
>     #  t.boolean :current, :default => false
>     #  t.timestamps
>
>     belongs_to :user
>     belongs_to :badge
>   end
>
> ASSIGNING A CURRENT BADGE:
>
>  I need a way to assign a badge to a user, so I created an attr_accessor
> in the User class called :assign_current_badge
>  Then, I override the assign_current_badge setter method.
>
>  The assign_current_badge=(badge_id) method:
>   * accepts a badge_id as a formal parameter
>   * updates any other current user_badges to "current=false" with
the
> deactivate_badges method
>   * checks for existance of a user_badge with the user''s id and
badge_id
>     * setting the user_badge.current to true if it exists
>     * creating and setting the user_badge.current to true if it does not
> exist
>   * sets the user''s current_badge_id to the badge_id
>
>  class User < ActiveRecord::Base
>   ... # relationships
>
>   attr_accessor :assign_current_badge
>
>   def assign_current_badge=(badge_id)
>     deactivate_badges
>     if UserBadge.exists?(:user_id => id, :badge_id => badge_id)
>       user_badges.find_by_badge_id(badge_id).update_attribute(:current,
> true)
>     else
>       user_badges.create!(:badge => Badge.find(badge_id), :current =>
> true)
>     end
>     self.current_badge_id = badge_id
>   end
>
>   def deactivate_badges
>     user_badges.update_all("current = 0")
>   end
>  end
>
> PROBLEMS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED:
>
>   The main problem I encounter is setting the current badge to a blank
> value through the user''s edit form.
>   "Couldn''t find Badge with ID=" is being raised since
there really is
> no badge with a blank id.
>   This tells me, obviously, that there is a better way to go about this.
> My gut tells me there is something shady about passing in the badge_id
> instead of an existing badge object.
>
>   - form_for @user, :url => admin_user_path(@user) do |f|
>     = f.error_message
>     # ... more fields
>     %div
>       = f.label :assign_current_badge
>       = f.select :assign_current_badge, Badge.all.map {|b| [b.title,
> b.id]}, { :selected => @user.current_badge_id, :include_blank => true
}
>     # ... submit button
>
> Finale:
>   If you have any advice for me, please reply. Hopefully I explained my
> situation well enough through code and writing. If you would like me to
> elaborate on anything, just ask.
> --
> Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
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Rails - Feb 2009 - We don't need no stinking Badges! Guidance, anyone?

We don''t need no stinking Badges! Guidance, anyone?

Re: We don''t need no stinking Badges! Guidance, anyone?

Re: We don''t need no stinking Badges! Guidance, anyone?