Question

I have a model set out like so:

class Rating
  # user_id, author_id
end

What I want to do is validate the author_id/user_id so they cannot be the same, essentially, so that a user cannot rate themselves.

Am I right to say this should be done using a validation in the Rating class?

validates :author_id, # custom validation options

Answer 1

You’ll need a custom validation:

class Rating
  # user_id, author_id
  validate :ensure_author_is_not_user

private

  def ensure_author_is_not_user
    errors[:author_id] << "can not be the same as user" unless user_id != author_id 
  end

end