Auto generate scaffolding for an existing database scheme in Rails 3

Question

I have existing database that I would like to auto generate the controllers and views for including models with field size and not null validation. I looked into a project called the Magic Model Generator but it looked old and only creates models from what I can tell.

I want this as primarily a time saver and I understand that most of the controllers and views will not be useful for user facing functionally. I will be plucking out what I don't need and moving most of it to administration pages.

Is there a tool for doing this?

TIA!

Edit: I want to create the actual files and do not want a dynamic admin. I will be using the controllers and view for some front facing parts of the site.

Hiro Ferreira · Answer 1 · 2014-11-18T13:07:49.017

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Not sure if works for Rails 3, but does for Rails 4! Steps below teaches how to build your models, forms, controllers and etc from a existing database.

Model and deploy your database, which yet has nothing to do with your rails app.
Point your rails app config/database.yml to such database
Open terminal
Change directory to you rails app root (run in terminal cd /path/to/my/rails/app/) .
Run in terminal rake db:schema:dump (Generates schema.rb)
Install gem 'schema_to_scaffold' (https://github.com/frenesim/schema_to_scaffold/)
Run in terminal scaffold to generate rails scaffold commands and follow what is requested
copy "rails scaffold commands" generated by step 7 on a separated .txt file
Run each "rails scaffold command" separately
Be happy!

Hope it helps!

edited Nov 18 '14 at 13:07

answered Nov 18 '14 at 12:55

Hiro Ferreira

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This works perfect in Rails 4.0! Thank you for the suggestion, it was exactly what I was looking for. – Ode Dec 10 '14 at 04:07
On RoR 4.2 is perfect! – user1066183 Jan 08 '15 at 09:34
Great! if you have more than 300 tables like me. can you add a `#! /bin/sh` at the first line of the file, add permissions `chmod +x filename` and run it as a script. – Juan de Dios Nov 30 '17 at 20:47

score 4 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:53

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I believe this question is answered here: How to run `rails generate scaffold` when the model already exists? and here: rails g scaffold for existing model and DB table

with the short answer being (e.g. model = Post)

rails generate scaffold_controller Post

edited May 23 '17 at 11:53

Community

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answered Jun 07 '12 at 19:35

Ryan

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I'm looking to generate from an existing database table not a model. – Tim Santeford Jun 08 '12 at 05:15
Why not create a simple model pointing to the database table? rails generate model Post – Ryan Jun 14 '12 at 23:33
And this will create all the views with the forms and fields? – Tim Santeford Jun 15 '12 at 02:07
If you create the model, then run the scaffold_controller command, yes, it will generate all the views with forms and fields. – Ryan Jun 19 '12 at 23:00
I have a `class Stuff < ApplicationRecord; end` in `app/models` but the command `rails g scaffold_controller Stuff` doesn't generate all the fields in `app/views/stuff/show.html.erb` – nurettin Jan 01 '17 at 11:00

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Dec 09 '12 at 05:42

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I think you can use this to solve part of your problem. After pointing your rails app to your old database then do a rake db:schema:dump you can use a gem called schema_to_scaffold to generate a scaffold script. It outputs:

rails g scaffold users fname:string lname:string bdate:date email:string encrypted_password:string

from your schema.rb our your renamed schema.rb. Check here

edited Dec 09 '12 at 05:42

jasoares

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answered Dec 06 '12 at 18:27

frenesim

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score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 04 '11 at 08:53

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RailsAdmin gem https://github.com/sferik/rails_admin

answered Mar 04 '11 at 08:53

Bashar Abdullah

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Auto generate scaffolding for an existing database scheme in Rails 3

4 Answers4