Question

In my app I have the following models:

Users
Groups
Permissions (user_id, group_id, role_id)

Where role_id 1: admin, 2: member

I want to make sure I’m understanding CanCan correctly. In the ability.rb file, I only want group admins (permission.role_id == 1) to be able to update/destroy/create new group permissions.

permission.role_id == 2, members, should just be able to read the group and the group’s permissions. Except for having the ability to destroy their group permission.

Here is my CanCan ability.rb file:

class Ability
    include CanCan::Ability

    def initialize(current_user, groupid_viewing)

        current_user ||= User.new #Guest user (not signed in)

        if groupid_viewing && current_user.try(:role, groupid_viewing) == 'Admin'
            can :manage, Group

            can [:create, :update], Permission do |permission|
        current_user.try(:role, groupid_viewing) == 'Admin'
            end





class GroupsController < ApplicationController
....
    def current_ability
          @current_ability ||= Ability.new(current_user, params[:group_id] && params[:group_id].to_i)
    end


class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
    def current_ability
        @current_ability ||= Ability.new(current_user, nil) #(user, group)
    end

Answer 1

You also need to specify the abilities for the role_id:2.

if groupid_viewing && current_user.try(:role, groupid_viewing) == 'Member'
   can :read, Group
   can :destroy, Permission do |permission|
      current_user.try(:role, groupid_viewing) == 'Member'
   end

Also, there is no need of creating current_ability the way you are doing.
It should be an after_create callback that should assign abilities when the Member or Admin is created.