Would have been even better with stringex, since that catches foreign characters much better (i.e. at all).

http://github.com/rsl/stringex/tree/master

stringex looks very cool, but seems like it could be overkill here. Slugalizer is very little code but handles accented characters as well as some corner cases that parameterize doesn’t:

http://github.com/henrik/slugalizer/tree/master

The idea is great, but unfortunately this is of no use for any accented characters (Czech, Polish, other alphabets).

Example:

puts parameterize('Žluťoučký kůň skákal přes rozpálené koleje')
# => -lu-ou-k-k-sk-kal-p-es-rozp-len-koleje
puts parameterize('Garçons')
# => gar-ons
puts parameterize('Malmö')
# => malm-

Stringex has very good implementation.

We have been using with good results Iconv for this in Czech context:

puts Iconv.new('ascii//translit', 'utf-8').iconv("Žluťoučký kůň skákal v tůňce na Öresündu ©").tr(' ', '-').downcase.gsub(/[^0-9a-z-]/, '') 
=> zlutoucky-kun-skakal-v-tunce-na-oresundu-c

Even beter solution is this one from http://workingwithrails.com/person/12298-adam-cig-nek:>

(See the “cig-nek” in URL? That should be “ciganek”. )

string.chars.normalize(:kd).to_s.gsub(/[^\x00-\x7F]/, '')

See http://forum.rubyonrails.cz/forums/1/topics/9?page=2#posts-227 for explanation if you can read Czech, otherwise write here.

For the purpose is the implementation certainly insufficient. In case of names (see above “cig-nek”) maybe downright insulting :)

Sorry about the train-wreck with the pre tags.

And more one thing to clarify the point: to me, Rails is above all about best practices in web development. Dropping letters from people’s names with accented chars, as you see on so many Rails-based websites (WWR, Slideshare, etc) is certainly not best practice.

I vote for slugalizer

Rails should be as lightweight as possible that’s why I think this implementation is great and is good for 80% ppl using it. For the rest of us we could use plugins like slugarizer oder stringex, which are really awesome, too!

I agree. 80% rule applies here.

Of course, for an English text, it’s almost 100% accurate. The problem with such implementation is that it promises some functionality which is in principle insufficient and for every non-English text broken.

Please remember we are not talking about L18N here. Even in the US and UK (is that what others regard as 80%?) there are people with names from different cultures. I don’t see why you would make any application so English-centric and not allow foreign names on it (or make them look ugly).

I think karmi hit the nail on the head – the documentation ’’‘promises’’’ some functionality that is insufficient.

Perhaps a simple change of documentation to make a note about non-English characters not being parameterized properly is sufficient? Maybe a recommendation to use Slugalizer or some suitable plugin too.

If we can make something less dumb using the String#chars stuff we already have, then we should. Otherwise we can just update the documentation. I don’t want to depend on iconv.

FWIW, the irony of this changeset mangling david’s new home town isn’t lost on me ;)

Precisely. It still hurts me that WWR drops two letters from my name so I end up being “karel-mina-k” there. Much more examples in almost every Rails application on the web.

I vote for the documentation caveat.

Moreover, as stated on Lighthouse, we use with very good results this little cryptic, but working code:

string.chars.normalize(:kd).to_s.gsub(/[\x00-\x7F]/, '')

Try this in script/console:

“Malm\303\266”.chars.normalize(:kd).to_s.gsub(/[\x00-\x7F]/, ’’) => “Malmo”

(Note: Mac Terminal escapes non-ASCII)

Karmi, why wouldn’t we change the parameterize implementation to use your example above?

Perhaps something like this: http://gist.github.com/10227

gist appears to be determined to wreck the non-ascii characters in that patch, but you get the gist.

While stringex is huge, note that Slugalizer is a oneliner, if you ignore the whitespace-for-readability and validating the argument. With all that, it’s about ten short lines. Most of slugalizer.rb are tests.

I think Slugalizer strikes a good balance between lightweight and best practice.

NZKoz, that would go much better with accented chars, although I don’t think the first line of the method body is needed? Ie.:

>> "All the gar\303\247ons from Malm\303\266".chars.normalize(:kd).to_s.gsub(/[^\x00-\x7F]+/, '').gsub(/[^a-z0-9_\-]+/i, sep).downcase
=> "all-the-garcons-from-malmo" 

(Note please that I am not the author of the code.)

... don’t think the first line of the method body is needed?

Eh, I am sorry. Apparently I need to slow down a bit to be able to read colorized (!) diff at least :)

Now handles accented characters – further discussion here: http://github.com/rails/rails/commit/1ddde91303883b47f2215779cf45d7008377bd0d#comments

I’ve got a plugin that does the same, but the string sanitizing seems better.

You should take a look at http://github.com/Bounga/acts_as_nice_url/

Bounga: There have been more commits since this discussion. See my link above.

I see your plugin uses iconv. That has some issues. See the README of Slugalizer, linked above.

Bounga: There have been more commits since this discussion. See my link above.

I see your plugin uses iconv. That has some issues. See the README of Slugalizer, linked above.