as_json only: [...attributs...], methods: [...methods list...] => callback update_document does not update "methods values" in ES

[alotela]

Hi,

I have a mapping with methods and attributes:
def as_indexed_json options={}
as_json only: ['id', 'banned','birthday'],
methods: ['method1', 'method2', methodn']
end

when I want to update a document, only changed attributes are saved in ES, not methods...
Looking at indexing.rb code, this seems normal:
def update_document(options={})
if changed_attributes = self.instance_variable_get(:@__changed_attributes)
client.update(
{ index: index_name,
type: document_type,
id: self.id,
body: { doc: changed_attributes } }.merge(options)
)
else
index_document(options)
end
end

so, how can I autosave "methods" values to ES when they are changedat the same time as attributes ?

[karmi]

Implement you own callback for save or commit lifecycle events.

[alotela]

ok. It would be nice if we could say 'if this attribute changes, then save this method at the same time'

[karmi]

There are couple of issues opened for that, lately: #5 and #37. We need to better document it, or improve the behaviour.

[alotela]

ok. thank you. We'l try to help with a solution if I find something interesting.

[karmi]

@alotela The linked commit should fix your issue.

[alotela]

If I'm right, it just checks for attributes I really want to put into ES. My problem is that when I use methods array in as_indexed_json, they are not updated. It's not about unwanted attributes.
I solved the problem with this:
1/ I Changed the method:

    module Elasticsearch
      module Model
        module Indexing
          module InstanceMethods
            def update_document(options={})
              changed_attributes = self.instance_variable_get(:@__changed_attributes)
              changed_attributes.merge!(es_changed_methods_values(changed_attributes.keys)) if changed_attributes
              if changed_attributes
                client.update(
                  { 
                     index: index_name, type:  document_type, id:    self.id, body:  { doc: changed_attributes }}.merge(options)
                )
                else
                  index_document(options)
                end
              end

               def es_changed_methods_values changed_attributs
                  changed_methods = {}
                  return changed_methods unless respond_to?(:es_changed_methods)
              es_changed_methods.each do |attribut, methods|
                    methods.each { |method| changed_methods[method] = send(method) } if changed_attributs.include?(attribut)
                  end
                  changed_methods
                end
              end
            end
          end
        end

2/ In my concern or model, I had this to know the methods I need to "refresh" depending on changed attributes:

     def es_changed_methods
      {
        "last_connection_at" => [:es_connected_until, :es_visible_until],
        "lat" => [:es_location],
        "lng" => [:es_location]
      }
    end

last_connection_at, lat, png are my model's attributes
es_connected_until, es_visible_until, es_location are methods for as_indexed_json:

    def as_indexed_json options={}
      as_json only: ['id',
        'banned',
        'birthday',
        'certified',
        'confirmed_at',
        'name',
        'gender',
        'ghost_mode',
        'hide_age',
        'is_banned_by_admin', 
        'last_connection_at',
        'city'],
        methods: ['es_connected_until', 'es_friend_ids', 'es_location', 'es_profil_photo_url', 'es_visible_until']
    end 

Works perfectly!

[karmi]

@alotela You shouldn't override update_document in your code. Period. (At least override it for the proxy object in the specific model, not for all.)

My problem is that when I use methods array in as_indexed_json, they are not updated.

Yes, see #5 for a discussion about that. Just implement your own hooks for indexing, that's it, really.

[alotela]

I totally agree that overriding update_document is not the right way to do.
But:
1/ It is easy to use in all models... Just need to define the "es_changed_methods"
2/ maybe it would be a good solution to put directly into elastic search-rails so no more "override"
3/ I think solutions in #5 are more complicated and not really an easy way to do things, even if I saw your comment
"On the other hand, I wouldn't like making the automatic callbacks so magical and smart, they handle every use case... I've seen much of these issues and participated in many discussions like this in Tire, and unless there's a clear way, it's usually best leaving this to the user?"

I personally think this problem should be managed by the gem easily... And defining a method to match changed_attributes and "changed_methods" looks good for me. It allows the gem to update only changed data.

What do you think ? ;)

[karmi]

I still think the cleanest way is to simply define your own indexing routines, in concert with your own serialization routines. The default callbacks are just that -- defaults for convenience.