Ruby/Rails conditional statement logic, multiple array values, opposite of x.blank?

Question

The human logic is:

• Reporter can update body of original article (set status to 'original updated')
• Reporter can add separate updates to the bottom of the article (article has_many updates)
• Reporter can do nothing to article

This is then used to tell readers on the front end (with pretty 'original updated' or 'updates added' labels) about if or how the original news story has been updated since it was first published, which is important if you're really interested in a story.

So… 1) The following logic works but the top half seems very messy. How do you include three possibilities in one == array?

<% if @articleupdates.blank? && @article.status == "published" %>

<% elsif @articleupdates.blank? && @article.status == "editing" %>

<% elsif @articleupdates.blank? && @article.status == "draft" %>

<% elsif @articleupdates.blank? && @article.status == 'updated' %>
  <div class="alert-update"><span class="updated-label">ORIGINAL UPDATED</span></div>
<% else %>
  <div class="alert-update"><span class="updated-label">UPDATES ADDED</span></div>
<% end %>

And… 2) while the above works, is there any simple way of doing this…

IF original-article updated AND additional-updates not added, print 'original updated'
ELSIF original-article not updated AND additional-updates added, print 'updates added' 
ELSIF original-article updated AND additional-updates added, print both 'original updated' AND 'updates added'
ELSE don't print anything

Or maybe:

IF original-article updated, print 'original updated'
ELSIF additional-updates added, print 'updates added' 
ELSIF original-article updated AND additional-updates added, print both 'original updated' AND 'updates added'
ELSE don't print anything

?? I think the missing bit is: what's the opposite of @articleupdates.blank? ?

UPDATE following kj's quick answer below. The simpler version almost works now:

<% if @articleupdates.present? %>
  UPDATES ADDED
<% elsif @article.status == "updated" %>
  ORIGINAL UPDATED
<% elsif @articleupdates.present? && @article.status == "updated" %>
  UPDATES ADDED + ORIGINAL UPDATED
<% else %>
<% end %>

The third part doesn't work for some reason: <% elsif @articleupdates.present? && @article.status == "updated" %> <% elsif @articleupdates.present? && @article.status == "updated" %>

Answer 1

You would be catching on status == "updated" before you ever got to your third condition. Move it up to the top as it is the most complex conditional.

<% if @articleupdates.present? && @article.status == "updated" %>
    UPDATES ADDED + ORIGINAL UPDATED
<% elsif @articleupdates.present? %>
    UPDATES ADDED
<% elsif @article.status == "updated" %>
    ORIGINAL UPDATED
<% end %>

EDIT

# Article model
def updated?
    status == 'updated'
end

# article helper
def article_label(article)
    if article.newsitems.present? && article.updated?
        label = "UPDATES ADDED + ORIGINAL UPDATED"
    elsif article.newsitems.present?
        label = "UPDATES ADDED"
    elsif article.updated?
        label = "ORIGINAL UPDATED"
    end
    content_tag :div, content_tag(:span, label, class: 'updated-label'), class: 'alert-update'
end

A decorator would work too I guess... :)

Answer 2

Your code contains the following anti patterns:

• you repeat a lot @articleupdates.blank? (DRY)
• you check an object's internal outside of it (tell dont ask)

First create methods in your model:

def published?
  status == "published"
end
#etc...

Then I recommend you create a presenter using a gem like draper

class ArticleDecorator < Draper::Decorator
  delegate_all

  def publication_status
    if newsitems.present?
      if updated?
        "UPDATES ADDED + ORIGINAL UPDATED"
      else
        "UPDATES ADDED"
      end
    elsif updated?
      "ORIGINAL UPDATED"
    else
      ""
    end
  end
end

And in you controller:

@article = @article.decorate

Finally in your view:

<div class="alert-update"><span class="updated-label"><%= @article.publication_status %></span></div>