Question

So, i have form that updates a record in the database. In my controllers update action i want to change a value to something if another one of the values is Estimate. Maybe this will make more sense…this is what i’m trying to do.

def update
    @invoice = Invoice.find(params[:id])
    if @invoice.update_attributes(params[:invoice])
        [e-mail] == "Estimate"
            # if the value of status is Estimate then change the
            # value of estimate_sent_date to the current timestamp
        end
        redirect_to invoices_path
    else
        render 'edit'
    end
end

The only values of the form that i’m concerned with are status and estimate_sent_date. Mostly, i’m just not sure how to change the value of estimate_sent_date and save that record.

Also, should i save everything and then do a separate call to save the estimate_sent_date or just save it all at once? I guess i could change the value of estimate_sent_date before calling if @invoice.update_attributes(params[:invoice]), couldn’t i?

Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

As Ryan Bigg says, state machine does work here. An alternative solution is to use a before_save callback on the Invoice model, like so:

before_save :set_sent_date

def set_sent_date
  if self.status_changed? && self.status == "Estimate"
     self.estimate_sent_date = Time.now
  end
end