How to share a collection of model files across many apps?

[Elliott Blatt]

Hi,

I've got three files that (a.rb, b.rb, c.rb) that currently live in
app/models.
I'd like these models to shared by multiple rails apps. These models are
associated with a separate database.

My rails projects are contained in a directory that looks like this:

projects/

proj1/ proj2/ proj3/ common/


common/
a.rb b.rb c.rb


My idea is to do this:

In proj1/lib/, symlink to ../../common/

lib/
common/ (which is a symlink)


My question is:
How do I tell rails to load the files pointed to by the symlink named
'common' in the lib directory?


I've tried:

cofig/environment.rb

include 'lib/common'

Thanks for your input.
EB

 

[Phillip Gawlowski]

Hi,

I've got three files that (a.rb, b.rb, c.rb) that currently live in
app/models.
I'd like these models to shared by multiple rails apps. These models are
associated with a separate database.

My rails projects are contained in a directory that looks like this:

projects/

proj1/ proj2/ proj3/ common/


common/
a.rb b.rb c.rb


My idea is to do this:

In proj1/lib/, symlink to ../../common/

lib/
common/ (which is a symlink)


My question is:
How do I tell rails to load the files pointed to by the symlink named
'common' in the lib directory?

First, you might want to ask this at the Rails Mailinglist.

Secondly, your solution wouldn't be portable, as only Unixes (MacOS,
HP-UX, OpenSolaris, Linux) understand symlinks. Windows doesn't
understand POSIX symlinks at all.


--
Phillip "CynicalRyan" Gawlowski

Rule of Open-Source Programming #15:

If you like it, let the author know. If you hate it, let the author
know why.

 

[RubyTalk]

Hi,

I've got three files that (a.rb, b.rb, c.rb) that currently live in
app/models.
I'd like these models to shared by multiple rails apps. These models are
associated with a separate database.

My rails projects are contained in a directory that looks like this:

projects/

proj1/ proj2/ proj3/ common/


common/
a.rb b.rb c.rb


My idea is to do this:

In proj1/lib/, symlink to ../../common/

lib/
common/ (which is a symlink)


My question is:
How do I tell rails to load the files pointed to by the symlink named
'common' in the lib directory?


I've tried:

cofig/environment.rb

include 'lib/common'

Thanks for your input.
EB

If you are using svn:

svn externals works well for this. I would create a tag of the libs so
when you create tags of your projects you will not have to change the
external -r option.

http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.0/ch07s03.html

There are unix programs that will keep directories synced.

Stephen Becker IV

 

[Brian Candler]

I've got three files that (a.rb, b.rb, c.rb) that currently live in
app/models.
I'd like these models to shared by multiple rails apps. These models are
associated with a separate database.

My rails projects are contained in a directory that looks like this:

projects/

proj1/ proj2/ proj3/ common/


common/
a.rb b.rb c.rb


My idea is to do this:

In proj1/lib/, symlink to ../../common/

lib/
common/ (which is a symlink)


My question is:
How do I tell rails to load the files pointed to by the symlink named
'common' in the lib directory?

I'm going to have to do something like this soon.

Personally I want to avoid symlinks, and I think what you want should be
possible simply by adding the appropriate directory to config.load_paths,
e.g.

config.load_paths << "#{RAILS_ROOT}/../common/app/models"

Now, if you enter "site:rubyonrails.com config.load_paths" into Google,
there are two hits, and the second one looks like a Wiki page which explains
exactly this. Unfortunately, when I follow it at the moment all I see is
"Application error (Rails)" :-(

But the 'Cached' link on Google works.

Another idea. If the model is called common/app/models/foo.rb, then you can
create stub files {proj1,proj2,proj3}/app/models/foo.rb which just contain
a single line:

require "#{RAILS_ROOT}/../common/app/models/foo.rb"

or even something which does a sub() on __FILE__

Regards,

Brian.