Only enable action when model has certain attribute set

Question

I am using Rails 3.2.11. I have an action (show) that I would like to disable if a certain attribute in the model is not set. Right now I am dealing with this directly in the action:

def show
    @model = Model.find(params[:id])
    if !@model.attribute
        raise ActionController::RoutingError.new('Something bad happened')
    end
end

Is this acceptable or is there a better way of handling this situation? I would like the behavior to be the same as when a user tries to access a non-existent record.

Alessandro De Simone · Answer 1 · 2013-02-24T23:04:11.050

0

I prefer to use that logic in a before_filter, so your show action will be clean:

before_filter :check_attribute

...

def show
  # you can use straight @model here

end
...

private

def check_attribute
  @model = Model.find(params[:id])
  if !@model.attribute
    raise ActionController::RoutingError.new('Something bad happened')
  end
end

In this way you can use it also for other actions.

edited Feb 24 '13 at 23:04

answered Feb 24 '13 at 22:39

Alessandro De Simone

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I think you mean "before_filter" – mockaroodev Feb 24 '13 at 22:59
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Additionally you can limit the methods this filter applies to using the `only` or `except` options on the filter: `before_filter :check_attribute, :only => :show` – Michael Shimmins Feb 24 '13 at 23:06

score -1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:12

-1

Yes, this is acceptable. I would personally write the conditionally as a one-liner.

raise ActionController::RoutingError.new('Something bad happened') unless @model.attribute?

A good resource for alternative methods for handling :not_found response is this question.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:12

Community

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answered Feb 24 '13 at 21:43

deefour

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Only enable action when model has certain attribute set

2 Answers2