Question

I have a model with a handful of related date fields.

def started_at_date=(value)
  @started_at_date = value
end

def completed_at_date=(value)
  @completed_at_date = value
end

...

The getters are handled via method_missing and that works great.

def method_missing(method, *args, &block)
  if method =~ /^local_(.+)$/
    local_time_for_event($1)
  elsif method =~ /^((.+)_at)_date$/
    self.send :date, $1
  elsif method =~ /^((.+)_at)_time$/
    self.send :time, $1
  else
    super
  end
end

def date(type)
  return self.instance_variable_get("@#{type.to_s}_date") if self.instance_variable_get("@#{type.to_s}_date")
  if self.send type.to_sym
    self.send(type.to_sym).in_time_zone(eventable.time_zone).to_date.to_s
  end
end

...

I’d like to add the setters dynamically, but I’m not sure how to do so in a way that avoids ActiveRecord::UnknownAttributeErrors.

Answer 1

I think this would work:

def method_missing(method, *args, &block)
  super unless method =~ /_date$/
  class_eval { attr_accessor method }
  super
end