Class: Class
Relationships & Source Files | |
Inherits: | Object |
Defined in: | activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/class/attribute.rb, activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/class/subclasses.rb |
Instance Method Summary
-
#class_attribute(*attrs)
Declare a class-level attribute whose value is inheritable by subclasses.
-
#subclasses
Returns an array with the direct children of
self
.
Instance Method Details
#class_attribute(*attrs)
Declare a class-level attribute whose value is inheritable by subclasses. Subclasses can change their own value and it will not impact parent class.
Options
-
:instance_reader
- Sets the instance reader method (defaults to true). -
:instance_writer
- Sets the instance writer method (defaults to true). -
:instance_accessor
- Sets both instance methods (defaults to true). -
:instance_predicate
- Sets a predicate method (defaults to true). -
:default
- Sets a default value for the attribute (defaults to nil).
Examples
class Base
class_attribute :setting
end
class Subclass < Base
end
Base.setting = true
Subclass.setting # => true
Subclass.setting = false
Subclass.setting # => false
Base.setting # => true
In the above case as long as Subclass does not assign a value to setting by performing Subclass.setting = something
, Subclass.setting
would read value assigned to parent class. Once Subclass assigns a value then the value assigned by Subclass would be returned.
This matches normal Ruby method inheritance: think of writing an attribute on a subclass as overriding the reader method. However, you need to be aware when using class_attribute
with mutable structures as ::Array
or ::Hash
. In such cases, you don’t want to do changes in place. Instead use setters:
Base.setting = []
Base.setting # => []
Subclass.setting # => []
# Appending in child changes both parent and child because it is the same object:
Subclass.setting << :foo
Base.setting # => [:foo]
Subclass.setting # => [:foo]
# Use setters to not propagate changes:
Base.setting = []
Subclass.setting += [:foo]
Base.setting # => []
Subclass.setting # => [:foo]
For convenience, an instance predicate method is defined as well. To skip it, pass instance_predicate: false
.
Subclass.setting? # => false
Instances may overwrite the class value in the same way:
Base.setting = true
object = Base.new
object.setting # => true
object.setting = false
object.setting # => false
Base.setting # => true
To opt out of the instance reader method, pass instance_reader: false
.
object.setting # => NoMethodError
object.setting? # => NoMethodError
To opt out of the instance writer method, pass instance_writer: false
.
object.setting = false # => NoMethodError
To opt out of both instance methods, pass instance_accessor: false
.
To set a default value for the attribute, pass default:
, like so:
class_attribute :settings, default: {}
# File 'activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/class/attribute.rb', line 87
def class_attribute(*attrs) = attrs. instance_reader = .fetch(:instance_accessor, true) && .fetch(:instance_reader, true) instance_writer = .fetch(:instance_accessor, true) && .fetch(:instance_writer, true) instance_predicate = .fetch(:instance_predicate, true) default_value = .fetch(:default, nil) attrs.each do |name| singleton_class.silence_redefinition_of_method(name) define_singleton_method(name) { nil } singleton_class.silence_redefinition_of_method("#{name}?") define_singleton_method("#{name}?") { !!public_send(name) } if instance_predicate ivar = "@#{name}" singleton_class.silence_redefinition_of_method("#{name}=") define_singleton_method("#{name}=") do |val| singleton_class.class_eval do redefine_method(name) { val } end if singleton_class? class_eval do redefine_method(name) do if instance_variable_defined? ivar instance_variable_get ivar else singleton_class.send name end end end end val end if instance_reader redefine_method(name) do if instance_variable_defined?(ivar) instance_variable_get ivar else self.class.public_send name end end redefine_method("#{name}?") { !!public_send(name) } if instance_predicate end if instance_writer redefine_method("#{name}=") do |val| instance_variable_set ivar, val end end unless default_value.nil? self.send("#{name}=", default_value) end end end
#subclasses
Returns an array with the direct children of self
.
class Foo; end
class Bar < Foo; end
class Baz < Bar; end
Foo.subclasses # => [Bar]
# File 'activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/class/subclasses.rb', line 47
def subclasses subclasses, chain = [], descendants chain.each do |k| subclasses << k unless chain.any? { |c| c > k } end subclasses end