Rails: Displaying published items and unpublished items of current user as ActiveRecord::Relation

Question

I wanted to know is it possible to do the following 2 things at once:

View all items with status published.
View items for current user with any status.

I have this code:

# Item model
scope :published, -> { where(status: 'published') }
scope :unpublished, -> { where.not(status: 'published') }
scope :by_user, -> (user_id) { where(user: user_id) }

# Item controller
def index
 @items = Item.published + Item.unpublished.by_user(current_user.id)
end

The problem is that @items are an Array, but I want ActiveRecord::Relation.

If you want to know why I need this, it's a simple answer:

@items.find(params[:id])

Please consider accepting an answer to informs others when your issue is resolved. — spickermann, Apr 28 '16 at 07:04

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:16

Based on the discussion in Rails: How to chain scope queries with OR instead of AND? I think you have at least four options:

1) Write a scope that combines your existing ones, something like:

scope :published_or_unpublished_by_user, -> (user_id) { where('status = ? OR (status != ? and user = ?)', 'published', 'published', user_id) }

2) Use a gem like squeel.

3) Use arel.

4) Wait for the .or syntax coming in Rails 5.

spickermann · Answer 2 · 2016-04-27T22:02:37.017

Rails 4.x doesn't support OR or UNION queries yet, therefore I would suggest a new scope that combines the other scopes with subqueries (the database should be able to optimize them):

# in the model
scope :visible_for_user, ->(user) {
  where(
    'items.id IN (?) OR items.id IN (?)',
    Item.published, Item.unpublished.by_user(user.id)
  )
}

# in the controller
@items = Item.visible_for_user(current_user)

Please note that the above is a general solution when you want to union existing scope. In this specific example you might get a better performance with a optimized scope:

scope :visible_for_user, ->(user) { 
  where("items.status = 'published' OR items.user_id = ?", user.id)
}

Thanks, you made my day! – Anton Maminov Apr 27 '16 at 22:05 — Anton Maminov, Apr 27 '16 at 22:05

7urkm3n · Answer 3 · 2016-04-27T21:55:46.040

1

I see, you are trying to find unpublished items from current user. You can do it in my scope.

scope :current_user_not_published, ->(user_id) 
      {where('status != ? AND user = ?', 'published', user_id)}

Controller:

# Item controller
def index
 @published_items = Item.published
 @current_user_unpublished_utems = Item.current_user_not_published(current_user.id)
end

OR

#in this case it will be @items[0] published, @items[1] c.not_published

def index
  @items = [Item.published, Item.current_user_not_published(current_user.id)]
end

edited Apr 27 '16 at 21:55

answered Apr 27 '16 at 21:44

7urkm3n

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`@items` is an `Array`, so I can't do `@items.find(params[:id])` – Anton Maminov Apr 27 '16 at 22:00
after `@items = Item.published` becomes array of objects, u are not able to use activerecord method to find it. also thats index page, how u getting `params[:id]`, r u searching it ? – 7urkm3n Apr 27 '16 at 22:06
Yes, of course. I can. But this is not what I would get. See other answers. Thanks. – Anton Maminov Apr 27 '16 at 22:13
yeah, i see. probably i misunderstand the question. glad u fixed it. – 7urkm3n Apr 27 '16 at 22:17

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 25 '22 at 08:48

I know this is an old question. If your published is a boolean column inside the items table, then published/unpublished is determined by your published being true or false.

Then in your items_controller.rb you can so this.

def show
  @item = Item.find(params[:id])
  @item_published = @item.where(published: true)
  @item_unpublished = @item.where(published: false)
end

So now in your item show page you can do this

<h2>Your Published Items</h2>

<% @item_published.each do |item| %>
  <li><%= item.name %></li>
  ...
<% end %>

<hr>

<h2>Your Unpublished Items</h2>

<% @item_unpublished.each do |item| %>
  <li><%= item.name %></li>
  ...
<% end %>

Rails: Displaying published items and unpublished items of current user as ActiveRecord::Relation

4 Answers4