Question

i have a model with a user selectable option that is set up in an array on the model.

def Pie < ActiveRecored::Base
    def self.sel_options
      [ [ "Apple Blueberry", "AB" ],
        [ "Cranberry Date", "CD" ] ]
    end
end

while the short string is retrieved from elsewhere and stored in the database, i would like to display the longer string when showing the object. e.g. in the view use:

Pie.display_customeor_choice[@pie_flavor]

i don’t want to hard code the reverse hash, but if i create a display_options method that converts the array to a hash with reverse mapping will it run the conversion every time display_options is called? this could be resource intensive with large arrays that are converted a lot, is there a way to create the reverse hash once when the app is started and never again? (using rails 3 and ruby 1.9.2)

Answer 1

You are looking for Array#rassoc

Pie.display_customeor_choice.rassoc("@pie_flavor")