marcusmateus/acts_as_configurable

Plugin to add arbitrary db-backed configuration to any Active Record model

= acts_as_configurable

This mixin adds a number of methods to an ActiveRecord module which
enable saving any settings you want (see examples below).
ActiveRecord is required.

== Install

  ./script/plugin install http://svn.nkryptic.com/plugins/acts_as_configurable

== Usage

This mixin will provide your model with a large variety of configuration options.
   class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     acts_as_configurable
   end

Example:

   user = User.create(:name => 'joe')
   user.settings                     # => []

   user.settings[:friends] = ['jane','sam','karl']
   user.settings[:friends]           # => ['jane','sam','karl']
   user.settings[:age] = 25
   user.settings[:age]               # => 25

OR

   user = User.create(:name => 'joe')
   post = Post.find(:first)
   
   user.settings_for(post)          # => []
   user.settings_for(post)[:show_headlines] = true
   
   user.settings_for(post)[:show_headlines]   # => true
   user.settings_for(post).size     # => 1
   
   # but the user's untargeted settings are still empty
   user.settings                    # => []

   update: now there is a method each_with_key
   user.settings.each_with_key {|k,s| do something} # k is the key (a string) and s is the setting
   and
   user.settings_for(post).each_with_key {|k,s| do something} # k is the key (a string) and s is the setting


This mixin will provide your model with the ability to see where it is used as a target of acts_as_configurable 
   class Post < ActiveRecord::Base
     acts_as_configurable_target
   end

Example:
   
   user = User.create(:name => 'joe')
   post = Post.find(:first)

   user.settings_for(post)          # => []
   user.settings_for(post)[:num_lines] = 15

   user.settings_for(post)[:num_lines]   # => 15
   post.targeted_settings[:num_lines].size  # => 1
   post.targeted_settings[:num_lines].first   # => 15
   post.targeted_settings[:num_lines].first.owner   # => user

OR

   user = User.create(:name => 'joe')
   post = Post.find(:first)

   user.settings_for(post)          # => []
   user.settings_for(post)[:num_lines] = 15

   user.settings_for(post)[:num_lines]   # => 15
   user.settings_for(post)[:hide_comments]   # => true
   post.targeted_settings_for(user)[:num_lines]   # => 15
   post.targeted_settings_for(user)   # => [15,true]
   post.targeted_settings_for(user).collect {|x| x.name}   # => ['num_lines','hide_comments']

== Subversion

   http://svn.nkryptic.com/plugins/acts_as_configurable

== Credits

I was insprired by the following people/works

* Rick Olson    - acts_as_versioned plugin (plugin design)
* Bill Katz     - authorization plugin (roles applied to any model)
* Tobias Luetke - Typo (configuration settings manager with ruby-typing of value)
* Rails core    - AssociationCollection and AssociationProxy classes