Methods
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Instance Public methods
attribute_method?(attribute)
# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 121
def attribute_method?(attribute)
  super || (table_exists? && column_names.include?(attribute.to_s.sub(%r=$/, '')))
end
attribute_methods_generated?()
# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 72
def attribute_methods_generated?
  @attribute_methods_generated ||= false
end
attribute_names()

Returns an array of column names as strings if it’s not an abstract class and table exists. Otherwise it returns an empty array.

# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 128
def attribute_names
  @attribute_names ||= if !abstract_class? && table_exists?
      column_names
    else
      []
    end
end
dangerous_attribute_method?(name)

A method name is ‘dangerous’ if it is already defined by Active Record, but not by any ancestors. (So ‘puts’ is not dangerous but ‘save’ is.)

# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 105
def dangerous_attribute_method?(name)
  method_defined_within?(name, Base)
end
define_attribute_methods()

Generates all the attribute related methods for columns in the database accessors, mutators and query methods.

# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 38
def define_attribute_methods
  unless defined?(@attribute_methods_mutex)
    msg = "It looks like something (probably a gem/plugin) is overriding the "                  "ActiveRecord::Base.inherited method. It is important that this hook executes so "                  "that your models are set up correctly. A workaround has been added to stop this "                  "causing an error in 3.2, but future versions will simply not work if the hook is "                  "overridden. If you are using Kaminari, please upgrade as it is known to have had "                  "this problem.\n\n"
    msg << "The following may help track down the problem:"

    meth = method(:inherited)
    if meth.respond_to?(:source_location)
      msg << " #{meth.source_location.inspect}"
    else
      msg << " #{meth.inspect}"
    end
    msg << "\n\n"

    ActiveSupport::Deprecation.warn(msg)

    @attribute_methods_mutex = Mutex.new
  end

  # Use a mutex; we don't want two thread simaltaneously trying to define
  # attribute methods.
  @attribute_methods_mutex.synchronize do
    return if attribute_methods_generated?
    superclass.define_attribute_methods unless self == base_class
    super(column_names)
    column_names.each { |name| define_external_attribute_method(name) }
    @attribute_methods_generated = true
  end
end
generated_external_attribute_methods()

We will define the methods as instance methods, but will call them as singleton methods. This allows us to use method_defined? to check if the method exists, which is fast and won’t give any false positives from the ancestors (because there are no ancestors).

# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 80
def generated_external_attribute_methods
  @generated_external_attribute_methods ||= Module.new { extend self }
end
instance_method_already_implemented?(method_name)
# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 89
def instance_method_already_implemented?(method_name)
  if dangerous_attribute_method?(method_name)
    raise DangerousAttributeError, "#{method_name} is defined by ActiveRecord"
  end

  if superclass == Base
    super
  else
    # If B < A and A defines its own attribute method, then we don't want to overwrite that.
    defined = method_defined_within?(method_name, superclass, superclass.generated_attribute_methods)
    defined && !ActiveRecord::Base.method_defined?(method_name) || super
  end
end
method_defined_within?(name, klass, sup = klass.superclass)
# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 109
def method_defined_within?(name, klass, sup = klass.superclass)
  if klass.method_defined?(name) || klass.private_method_defined?(name)
    if sup.method_defined?(name) || sup.private_method_defined?(name)
      klass.instance_method(name).owner != sup.instance_method(name).owner
    else
      true
    end
  else
    false
  end
end
undefine_attribute_methods()
# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb, line 84
def undefine_attribute_methods
  super
  @attribute_methods_generated = false
end