Question

I have the following helper method that I’m using to upload some records to Dropbox. For each of the three models (logbooks, aircraft, and approaches), I’m doing the exact same thing. I’d like to make this more DRY and only have the code once, but I don’t understand how to reference a model in an abstracted way.

Any recommendations?

#------------------------------------------------------------
# Upload entries to Dropbox
#------------------------------------------------------------
def upload_items(items, folder, client)

  # Go through each item and upload it to Dropbox
  items.each do |item|

    if folder == 'logbook'
      # Get the file from the database to upload
      @logbook = current_user.logbooks.find_by_sync_id(item)
      # Upload it
      uploaded_file = client.put_file("/logbook/#{item}.json",@logbook.to_json, overwrite = true)
      # Reset the updated_flag in the database
      @logbook.update_attributes(updated_flag: 0)

    elsif folder == 'aircraft'
      # Get the file from the database to upload
      @aircraft = current_user.aircrafts.find_by_sync_id(item)
      # Upload it
      uploaded_file = client.put_file("/aircraft/#{item}.json",@aircraft.to_json, overwrite = true)
      # Reset the updated_flag in the database
      @aircraft.update_attributes(updated_flag: 0)

    elsif folder == 'approaches'
      # Get the file from the database to upload
      @approach = current_user.approaches.find_by_sync_id(item)
      # Upload it
      uploaded_file = client.put_file("/approaches/#{item}.json",@approach.to_json, overwrite = true)
      # Reset the updated_flag in the database
      @approach.update_attributes(updated_flag: 0)

    end
  end
end

Ruby 1.9.3, Rails 3.2.8

Answer 1

This will do the job.

The critical part below is current_user.public_send(folder.to_sym) which takes the folder name and converts it to a message to send to the current_user.

#------------------------------------------------------------
# Upload entries to Dropbox
#------------------------------------------------------------
def upload_items(items, folder, client)

  # Go through each item and upload it to Dropbox
  items.each do |item|
    # Get the file from the database to upload
    resource = current_user.public_send(folder.pluralize.to_sym).find_by_sync_id(item)
    # Upload it
    uploaded_file = client.put_file("/#{folder}/#{item}.json",resource.to_json, overwrite = true)
    # Reset the updated_flag in the database
    resource.update_attributes(updated_flag: 0)
  end
end