acts_as_referenced

acts_as_referenced is an easy way to implement unique reference numbers across many different models.

Installation

If you are on edge rails:

  script/plugin install git://github.com/subwindow/acts_as_referenced.git

If you are not on edge rails:

  git clone git://github.com/subwindow/acts_as_referenced.git vendor/plugins/acts_as_referenced

Usage

To make use of acts_as_referenced, you first need to create the Reference model & its table:

  script/generate reference reference
  rake db:migrate

You also need a column ‘reference’ in all of the tables you plan on using acts_as_referenced with. (You can change this with the :referenced_column option)

Enable the functionality by declaring acts_as_referenced on your model

  class Order < ActiveRecord::Base
    acts_as_referenced
  end

Advanced Usage

Advanced usage is enabled through a set of options. Here they are:

  # Separator
  acts_as_referenced # Defaults to '-', e.g.: '080722-1'
  acts_as_referenced :separator => "" #e.g.: '0807221'
  acts_as_referenced :separator => "_" #e.g.: '080722_1'

  # Prefix.  A string that is appended at the front of the reference number.  Does not affect incrementing.  Accepts a proc.
  acts_as_referenced # Defaults to '', e.g.: '080722-1'
  acts_as_referenced :prefix => "OR" # e.g.: "OR-080722-1"
  acts_as_referenced :prefix => Proc.new {|o| o.category.first.upcase } # e.g.: "M-080722-1"

  # Increment base.  A string that is used as the base for incrementing- all reference numbers with the same base will be incremented together.  Accepts strftime arguments.
  acts_as_referenced # Defaults to "%y%m%d", e.g.: "080722-1"
  acts_as_referenced :increment_base => "#{(65+(Time.now.year-2003)).chr}%m%d" # e.g.: "F0722-1"

  # Increment size.  An integer that is used to pad incrementers.  Useful if you require reference numbers with a consistent legnth.
  acts_as_referenced # Defaults to 0, e.g.: "080722-1", "080722-9999"
  acts_as_referenced :increment_size => 4 #e.g.: "080722-0001", "080722-9999"

  # Referenced Column.  Change the name of the "reference" column that is stored on the model.
  acts_as_referenced # Defaults to 'reference'
  acts_as_referenced :referenced_column => "order_number"

A Note on Racing

There’s a racing condition inherent in the plugin as it is shipped. If there are two processes creating references at approximately the same time, it is entirely possible that they will collide and create reference numbers at the same time. Rails may or may not catch this, so the possibility for duplicate reference numbers exists, and the possibility for confusing end-user errors is even greater. To solve this, you have to lock the table from reads while creating a reference number. It should only take < 50ms, so in most cases it is not that big of a deal. The locking procedures are different for different DBMSs. For PostgreSQL, uncomment lib/acts_as_referenced.rb line #91. For MySQL, uncomment lib/acts_as_referenced.rb lines #93 and #99. For other systems, simply write your own table locking/unlocking SQL and place it in the same spots.

Copyright © 2008 Erik Peterson, released under the MIT license