Rails - Jan 2009 - Why does ActiveRecord allow perception of success when updating an ID, however it doesn't really work(i.e. no change in database)?

Hi,
Why does ActiveRecord allow perception of success when updating an ID,
however it doesn''t really work(i.e. no change in database)?

Here''s an example. The update of "id" versus update of a
non-existent
attribute.

?> ai = AccountItem.find(:first) => #<AccountItem id: 1, account_id: 1,
date: "2009-01-11", amount:
#<BigDecimal:22fb334,''0.1E2'',4(8)>, balance:
#<BigDecimal:22fb1f4,''0.0'',4(8)>, description:
"test", notes: nil,
created_at: "2009-01-11 09:47:28", updated_at: "2009-01-11
09:47:28"> >>
ai.update_attributes!(:id => 99999) => true # SEEMS TO INDICATE IT WORKED
>>
AccountItem.find(:all) => [#<AccountItem id: 1, account_id: 1, date:
"2009-01-11", amount:
#<BigDecimal:22f27c0,''0.1E2'',4(8)>, balance:
#<BigDecimal:22f2680,''0.0'',4(8)>, description:
"test", notes: nil,
created_at: "2009-01-11 09:47:28", updated_at: "2009-01-11
09:47:28">] # IT
DIDN''T AS THE ID IS STILL 1 >>
?> ai.update_attributes!(:XXXX => 99999) NoMethodError: undefined method
`XXXX='' for #<AccountItem:0x22fc6a8> <== THIS IS A BIT MORE
LIKE YOU WOULD
EXPECT from
/opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.1.1/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb:251:in
`method_missing'' from
/opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.1.1/lib/active_record/base.rb:2372:in
`send'' from
/opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.1.1/lib/active_record/base.rb:2372:in
`attributes='' from
/opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.1.1/lib/active_record/base.rb:2371:in
`each'' from
/opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.1.1/lib/active_record/base.rb:2371:in
`attributes='' from
/opt/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.1.1/lib/active_record/base.rb:2278:in
`update_attributes!'' from (irb):60 >>

thanks

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Ruby on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 9:08 PM, Greg Hauptmann
<greg.hauptmann.ruby-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>
wrote:
> Why does ActiveRecord allow perception of success when updating an ID,
> however it doesn''t really work(i.e. no change in database)?
That is because :id is a special case and is protected from mass assignment.

The reason it "works" or says that it does is because when you submit
an update form, you might have a params hash that looks like:

params[:account] #=> {:id => 2, :name => "Bob"}

and you will then do:

a = Account.find(params[:account][:id])
a.update_attributes(params[:account])

Now... in 99% of cases, you want this update_attributes command to
work, but you definately do NOT want some smartarse out there sending
in a carefully crafted web request that changes the ID value of the
account!

So that''s why, update_attributes "silently" ignores any
attribute that
is protected from mass assignment.

Actually... it doesn''t ignore it. Look in your logs and you will see
something along the lines of "Can''t mass assign protected
attribute
:id" or something.

For what it''s worth, doing:

account.update_attribute(:id, 1)

or

account.id = 1
account.save


Both work.

Hope that helps

Mikel

-- 
http://lindsaar.net/
Rails, RSpec and Life blog....

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Ruby on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

thanks Mike - I was trying to setup a spec that tests that my foreign key
constraints would hold - I''ll try the method you suggest

On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 9:38 PM, Mikel Lindsaar
<raasdnil-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
> On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 9:08 PM, Greg Hauptmann
> <greg.hauptmann.ruby-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
> > Why does ActiveRecord allow perception of success when updating an ID,
> > however it doesn''t really work(i.e. no change in database)?
>
> That is because :id is a special case and is protected from mass
> assignment.
>
> The reason it "works" or says that it does is because when you
submit
> an update form, you might have a params hash that looks like:
>
> params[:account] #=> {:id => 2, :name => "Bob"}
>
> and you will then do:
>
> a = Account.find(params[:account][:id])
> a.update_attributes(params[:account])
>
> Now... in 99% of cases, you want this update_attributes command to
> work, but you definately do NOT want some smartarse out there sending
> in a carefully crafted web request that changes the ID value of the
> account!
>
> So that''s why, update_attributes "silently" ignores any
attribute that
> is protected from mass assignment.
>
> Actually... it doesn''t ignore it. Look in your logs and you will
see
> something along the lines of "Can''t mass assign protected
attribute
> :id" or something.
>
> For what it''s worth, doing:
>
> account.update_attribute(:id, 1)
>
> or
>
> account.id = 1
> account.save
>
>
> Both work.
>
> Hope that helps
>
> Mikel
>
> --
> http://lindsaar.net/
> Rails, RSpec and Life blog....
>
> >
>

-- 
Greg
http://blog.gregnet.org/

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Ruby on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

PS.  Just noted the other methods also don''t work fyi - see below. 
That is
it doesn''t seem to be mass assignment related.
?>  ai =  AccountItem.find(:first)
=> #<AccountItem id: 1, account_id: 1, date: "2009-01-11",
amount:
#<BigDecimal:22e80b8,''0.1E2'',4(8)>, balance:
#<BigDecimal:22e7f78,''0.0'',4(8)>, description:
"test", notes: nil,
created_at: "2009-01-11 09:47:28", updated_at: "2009-01-11
09:47:28">
>> ai.id = 100000
=> 100000
>> ai
=> #<AccountItem id: 100000, account_id: 1, date: "2009-01-11",
amount:
#<BigDecimal:22e34b4,''0.1E2'',4(8)>, balance:
#<BigDecimal:22e3374,''0.0'',4(8)>, description:
"test", notes: nil,
created_at: "2009-01-11 09:47:28", updated_at: "2009-01-11
09:47:28">
>> ai.save
=> true
>>
?> AccountItem.find(:all)
=> [#<AccountItem id: 1, account_id: 1, date: "2009-01-11",
amount:
#<BigDecimal:22db098,''0.1E2'',4(8)>, balance:
#<BigDecimal:22daf58,''0.0'',4(8)>, description:
"test", notes: nil,
created_at: "2009-01-11 09:47:28", updated_at: "2009-01-11
09:47:28">]
>>
On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 9:38 PM, Mikel Lindsaar
<raasdnil-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
> On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 9:08 PM, Greg Hauptmann
> <greg.hauptmann.ruby-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
> > Why does ActiveRecord allow perception of success when updating an ID,
> > however it doesn''t really work(i.e. no change in database)?
>
> That is because :id is a special case and is protected from mass
> assignment.
>
> The reason it "works" or says that it does is because when you
submit
> an update form, you might have a params hash that looks like:
>
> params[:account] #=> {:id => 2, :name => "Bob"}
>
> and you will then do:
>
> a = Account.find(params[:account][:id])
> a.update_attributes(params[:account])
>
> Now... in 99% of cases, you want this update_attributes command to
> work, but you definately do NOT want some smartarse out there sending
> in a carefully crafted web request that changes the ID value of the
> account!
>
> So that''s why, update_attributes "silently" ignores any
attribute that
> is protected from mass assignment.
>
> Actually... it doesn''t ignore it. Look in your logs and you will
see
> something along the lines of "Can''t mass assign protected
attribute
> :id" or something.
>
> For what it''s worth, doing:
>
> account.update_attribute(:id, 1)
>
> or
>
> account.id = 1
> account.save
>
>
> Both work.
>
> Hope that helps
>
> Mikel
>
> --
> http://lindsaar.net/
> Rails, RSpec and Life blog....
>
> >
>

-- 
Greg
http://blog.gregnet.org/

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Ruby on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

Now.. that is interesting

To be honest, I''ve only ever used setting the id to a specific value
on a new record... not on an existing one.

The problem is that the following code in
rails/activerecord/lib/base.rb is what does the update:

      def update(attribute_names = @attributes.keys)
        quoted_attributes = attributes_with_quotes(false, false,
attribute_names)
        return 0 if quoted_attributes.empty?
        connection.update(
          "UPDATE #{self.class.quoted_table_name} " +
          "SET #{quoted_comma_pair_list(connection, quoted_attributes)}
" +
          "WHERE
#{connection.quote_column_name(self.class.primary_key)}
#{quote_value(id)}",
          "#{self.class.name} Update"
        )
      end

As you can see, the WHERE clause is going to use id to find the record
we are after, as you set id to a different value... that won''t
work....

This code would have to be updated to allow id to be set using a
"new_id" and "old_id" value pair...

I think this is enough of an edge case though that you would be better
served by making a new record and deleting the old one...

like so:


a = Account.find(1)
new_account = Account.new(a.params)
new_account.id = new_id
new_account.save

*should* work :)

Mikel


-- 
http://lindsaar.net/
Rails, RSpec and Life blog....

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Ruby on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

> a = Account.find(1)
> new_account = Account.new(a.params)
> new_account.id = new_id
> new_account.save
>
> *should* work :)
Well.. it most definitely won''t...

You need:

new_account = Account.new(a.attributes)

and you might get further


-- 
http://lindsaar.net/
Rails, RSpec and Life blog....

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Ruby on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

thanks - given all of this what do you think about the fact Rails
doesn''t
highlight the issue via exception?  It still seems misleading to me the way
it works...

On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 10:32 PM, Mikel Lindsaar
<raasdnil-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
> > a = Account.find(1)
> > new_account = Account.new(a.params)
> > new_account.id = new_id
> > new_account.save
> >
> > *should* work :)
>
> Well.. it most definitely won''t...
>
> You need:
>
> new_account = Account.new(a.attributes)
>
> and you might get further
>
>
> --
> http://lindsaar.net/
> Rails, RSpec and Life blog....
>
> >
>

-- 
Greg
http://blog.gregnet.org/

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Ruby on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---