Making models for hashes?

[Darren884]

I have an XML parser and I am assigning it like this:

					song = {}
					song['source'] = item.elements['location'].text
					song['song'] = item.elements['title'].text
					song['artist'] = item.elements['creator'].text
					@songs << song

It attaches itself onto songs which is done like:
@songs = []

In my view I am displaying it like:

	<% @songs.each do |song| %>
           <%= song['artist'] %>
        <% end>

My question is how do I make it so its a model instead of displaying it improperly like that on the view page? How do I make it so I can do

<% for song in @songs %>
<%= song.artist %>
<% end >

instead of what I have now? Thank you for the help.

[TomK32]

You're talking about "model", are you planning to use this song model in Ruby on Rails? Cuz then you just define it in your database, have a simple class file and then you can use it that way.

If you don't, stick with the normal Hash notation as it's the most simple. You could use symbols instead of strings for the hash key if you want to save a few bytes of memory.

[ReggieB]

If you are not going to store the data in a database, you need to create a standalone class to store the data. So create a new class call Song:

create a file lib/song.rb that looks like this:

class Song
  attr_accessor :source, :song, :artist
end

Then alter the process that populates your system to this:

song = Song.new
song.source = item.elements['location'].text
song.song = item.elements['title'].text
song.artist = item.elements['creator'].text
@songs << song

Then the code you want to use will work.

[ReggieB]

On the other hand, if you do want to store the data in a database, create a new model called Song:

class Song < ActiveRecord::Base

end

Create a table called songs with the required fields. For example via migration

class CreateSongs < ActiveRecord::Migration
  def self.up
    create_table :songs do |t|
      t.column :status, :string
      t.column :absence, :string
      t.column :lone_working_note, :string
      t.timestamps
    end
  end

  def self.down
    drop_table :songs
  end
end

And then change the code to this:

song = Song.new
song.source = item.elements['location'].text
song.song = item.elements['title'].text
song.artist = item.elements['creator'].text
song.save
@songs << song

[Darren884]

If you are not going to store the data in a database, you need to create a standalone class to store the data. So create a new class call Song:

create a file lib/song.rb that looks like this:

class Song
  attr_accessor :source, :song, :artist
end

Then alter the process that populates your system to this:

song = Song.new
song.source = item.elements['location'].text
song.song = item.elements['title'].text
song.artist = item.elements['creator'].text
@songs << song

Then the code you want to use will work.

Thanks man that was what I was looking for. Really helps out appreciate it.

[ReggieB]

You're welcome.

By the way. When I said "If you are not going to store the data in a database, you need to create a standalone class to store the data." what I should have said was "to hold the data" rather than "to store the data". The data held in the objects will be lost when the object is killed (for example by the Ruby garbage disposal at the end of each complete process). I presume you intend displaying data stored as XML files, in which case this will be fine.

[Darren884]

Yes, I only wanted to display the data, there is a model that handles storing it separately. I remember reading about making a class with attr_accessor but I probably was storing it somewhere other than /lib. Thanks again.