Rails - Oct 2007 - login_sugar: how to initialize @current_user on non-authenticated pages?

I''ve installed login_sugar in my app.  In my Appliation controller I
have added

  include UserSystem
  before_filter :authenticate_user

then, in controllers with actions where I don''t need to have
authentication, I''ve added

  before_filter :authenticate_user, :except => [:index]

It works wonderfully, with one exception: login_sugar provides an
instance variable @current_user which is handy for doing all sorts of
things on a page with the currently logged in user.  @current_user is
initialized in the authenticate_user filter by calling the method
authenticated_user?.

The problem I''m having is that there are pages that don''t
require
authentication where I still want to have @current_user available to
me.  For example, on the support page: I don''t require that you be
logged into request support, but if you are logged in then I can
render the page more appropriately for your needs.

So, the easy way to solve this problem is like so:

  def index
    authenticated_user?
  end

but, the problem with that is that it''s not DRY.  In other words, for
every controller where I use :except on an action I also have to add
the call to authenticated_user? to the action.  What I thought I would
do is call authenticated_user? from the Application controller, like
so:

  include UserSystem
  before_filter :authenticate_user
  authenticated_user?

which would result in @current_user being initialized on every page
via authenticated_user?.  However, that does not work; the result is a
500 error with the following message:

  undefined method `authenticated_user?'' for
ApplicationController:Class

That being said, two questions:

1.  I don''t get it...authenticated_user? has been mixed-in to the
Application controller via the include UserSystem statement.  Why is
it not available?

2.  What is the "proper" solution to my original problem of having
@current_user initialized on each page?

Thanks,

Scott


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You should probably use logged_in? to test whether or not someone is
logged in, and then use current_user contingent upon the results of
that.

--Jeremy

On 10/2/07, Scott <scottporad-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>
wrote:
>
> I''ve installed login_sugar in my app.  In my Appliation controller
I
> have added
>
>   include UserSystem
>   before_filter :authenticate_user
>
> then, in controllers with actions where I don''t need to have
> authentication, I''ve added
>
>   before_filter :authenticate_user, :except => [:index]
>
> It works wonderfully, with one exception: login_sugar provides an
> instance variable @current_user which is handy for doing all sorts of
> things on a page with the currently logged in user.  @current_user is
> initialized in the authenticate_user filter by calling the method
> authenticated_user?.
>
> The problem I''m having is that there are pages that don''t
require
> authentication where I still want to have @current_user available to
> me.  For example, on the support page: I don''t require that you be
> logged into request support, but if you are logged in then I can
> render the page more appropriately for your needs.
>
> So, the easy way to solve this problem is like so:
>
>   def index
>     authenticated_user?
>   end
>
> but, the problem with that is that it''s not DRY.  In other words,
for
> every controller where I use :except on an action I also have to add
> the call to authenticated_user? to the action.  What I thought I would
> do is call authenticated_user? from the Application controller, like
> so:
>
>   include UserSystem
>   before_filter :authenticate_user
>   authenticated_user?
>
> which would result in @current_user being initialized on every page
> via authenticated_user?.  However, that does not work; the result is a
> 500 error with the following message:
>
>   undefined method `authenticated_user?'' for
> ApplicationController:Class
>
> That being said, two questions:
>
> 1.  I don''t get it...authenticated_user? has been mixed-in to the
> Application controller via the include UserSystem statement.  Why is
> it not available?
>
> 2.  What is the "proper" solution to my original problem of
having
> @current_user initialized on each page?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Scott
>
>
> >
>

-- 
http://www.jeremymcanally.com/

Ruby in Practice:
http://www.manning.com/mcanally/

My free Ruby e-book:
http://www.humblelittlerubybook.com/book/

My blogs:
http://www.mrneighborly.com/
http://www.rubyinpractice.com/

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