Rails - Jun 2006 - What''s the model pattern for just storing an array of ints?

Maybe this question is obvious, but I''m missing the answer.  I want one
of the fields in my model to be an array of int.  These are not indexes 
into another model.  I''m cool with creating another database table if I
have to, but then do I need to do a join to access the data?  Or does 
Ruby have some cool trick where I can translate my array of ints into a 
String, store it in a single field, and then be smart enough that when I 
pull it back out I can convert it back into an array so nobody''s the 
wiser?  (I''m sure I can do this and be kludgy about it, I''m
wondering if
there''s something already built in that might mean I can do it 
invisibly).

Thanks!

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On Friday, June 02, 2006, at 3:37 PM, Duane Morin wrote:
>Maybe this question is obvious, but I''m missing the answer.  I want
one
>of the fields in my model to be an array of int.  These are not indexes
>into another model.  I''m cool with creating another database table
if I
>have to, but then do I need to do a join to access the data?  Or does
>Ruby have some cool trick where I can translate my array of ints into a
>String, store it in a single field, and then be smart enough that when I
>pull it back out I can convert it back into an array so nobody''s
the
>wiser?  (I''m sure I can do this and be kludgy about it,
I''m wondering if
>there''s something already built in that might mean I can do it
>invisibly).
>
>Thanks!
>
>--
>Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>_______________________________________________
>Rails mailing list
>Rails@lists.rubyonrails.org
>http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails
in your model definition, you can do this..

def model
 serialize :some_array
end

Just make sure the column in the database can hold the serialized  
object.  Probably ''text'' or bigger.

_Kevin

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Kevin Olbrich wrote:
>  serialize :some_array
Perfect!  Thanks Kevin.  And now that I know the word to google for I 
see many obvious examples, including in the documentation for 
ActiveRecord itself :)

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