Rails - Dec 2006 - AR/SQLServer: Legacy column names with embedded spaces

I''m working against a legacy (which means I can''t change the
table or
move to MySQL ;]) table in a SQL Server database that has column names
with embedded spaces in them (see error messages below).

When I go to delete one of these records I get messages like the ones
below for every column with any embedded spaces.

A quick googling reveals that these may just be warnings?  Is that
everyone else''s experience or will the presence of these columns
actually cause problems when I do DB operations on these type of tables?

Thanks,
Wes

================
Exception occured during reader method compilation.
Maybe Date Code 3 is not a valid Ruby identifier?
(eval):1:in `evaluate_read_method'': compile error
(eval):1: formal argument cannot be a constant
def Date Code 3; raise NoMethodError, ''missing attribute: Date Code
3'',
caller unless @attributes.has_key?(''Date Code 3'');
@attributes[''Date
Code 3'']; end
             ^
(eval):1: parse error, unexpected tINTEGER, expecting ''\n'' or
'';''
def Date Code 3; raise NoMethodError, ''missing attribute: Date Code
3'',
caller unless @attributes.has_key?(''Date Code 3'');
@attributes[''Date
Code 3'']; end
               ^
(eval):1: parse error, unexpected kEND, expecting $
def Date Code 3; raise NoMethodError, ''missing attribute: Date Code
3'',
caller unless @attributes.has_key?(''Date Code 3'');
@attributes[''Date
Code 3'']; end
                                                                                
^
Exception occured during reader method compilation.
Maybe Date Code 3 is not a valid Ruby identifier?
(eval):1:in `evaluate_read_method'': compile error
(eval):1: formal argument cannot be a constant
def Date Code 3?; query_attribute(''Date Code 3''); end
             ^
(eval):1: parse error, unexpected tINTEGER, expecting ''\n'' or
'';''
def Date Code 3?; query_attribute(''Date Code 3''); end
               ^
(eval):1: parse error, unexpected kEND, expecting $
def Date Code 3?; query_attribute(''Date Code 3''); end

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This doesn''t appear to actually interfere with any DB operations, but 
I''d still like to hear about any adverse effects encountered in the 
field.

WG


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On 06/12/06, Wes Gamble
<rails-mailing-list-ARtvInVfO7ksV2N9l4h3zg@public.gmane.org> wrote:
> I''m working against a legacy (which means I can''t change
the table or
> move to MySQL ;]) table in a SQL Server database that has column names
> with embedded spaces in them (see error messages below).
> When I go to delete one of these records I get messages like the ones
> below for every column with any embedded spaces.
<snip>
> Exception occured during reader method compilation.
> Maybe Date Code 3 is not a valid Ruby identifier?
> (eval):1:in `evaluate_read_method'': compile error
> (eval):1: formal argument cannot be a constant
> def Date Code 3; raise NoMethodError, ''missing attribute: Date
Code 3'',
> caller unless @attributes.has_key?(''Date Code 3'');
@attributes[''Date
> Code 3'']; end
Wes,

These errors are thrown by ActiveRecord::Base when it tries to create
attribute accessor methods.  As you can see, it''s trying to define a
method ''Date Code 3'' which is an invalid method name due to
the spaces
within the name.  The fact that DB column names can map to object
attribute names is a fundamental assumption of ActiveRecord, and hence
not an easy thing to overcome.  The best solution I can think is to
develop a plugin to map attribute names used in your database to valid
method names and patch your version of active record to use this
mapping.

Tom

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Tom Ward wrote:
> Wes,
> 
> These errors are thrown by ActiveRecord::Base when it tries to create
> attribute accessor methods.  As you can see, it''s trying to define
a
> method ''Date Code 3'' which is an invalid method name due
to the spaces
> within the name.  The fact that DB column names can map to object
> attribute names is a fundamental assumption of ActiveRecord, and hence
> not an easy thing to overcome.  The best solution I can think is to
> develop a plugin to map attribute names used in your database to valid
> method names and patch your version of active record to use this
> mapping.
Tom,

Thanks.  I wonder how many DBs beside SQL Server actually even allow 
column names to have embedded spaces.  Even if it''s only SS, this feels
like something that should be handled, if only to ease Rails adoption to 
work with legacy schemas.  If I get some time, I will look into it.

Wes

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