Ruby - how to integrate ruby gem into my controller?

Question

I have created this gem > https://rubygems.org/gems/badwordgem

This is my controller inside my rails project.

class AppointmentsController < ApplicationController
  before_action :set_appointment, only: %i[ show edit update destroy ]
  #before we run anything if the user is not signed in show index and show functions
  before_action :authenticate_user!, except: [:index,:show]
  #only the correct user can edit,update and destroy
  before_action :correct_user, only: [:edit, :update , :destroy]

  # GET /appointments or /appointments.json
  def index
    @appointments = Appointment.all.decorate
  end

  # GET /appointments/1 or /appointments/1.json
  def show
  end

  # GET /appointments/new
  def new
    #@appointment = Appointment.new
    @appointment = current_user.appointments.build
  end

  # GET /appointments/1/edit
  def edit
  end

  #function to allow for search functionality 
  def search
    @appointments = Appointment.where("date LIKE?", "%"+params[:q]+"%")
  end

  # POST /appointments or /appointments.json
  def create
   #@appointment = Appointment.new(appointment_params)
   @appointment = current_user.appointments.build(appointment_params)

    respond_to do |format|
      if @appointment.save
        format.html { redirect_to appointment_url(@appointment), notice: "Appointment was successfully created." }
        format.json { render :show, status: :created, location: @appointment }
      else
        format.html { render :new, status: :unprocessable_entity }
        format.json { render json: @appointment.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
      end
    end
  end

  # PATCH/PUT /appointments/1 or /appointments/1.json
  def update
    respond_to do |format|
      if @appointment.update(appointment_params)
        format.html { redirect_to appointment_url(@appointment), notice: "Appointment was successfully updated." }
        format.json { render :show, status: :ok, location: @appointment }
      else
        format.html { render :edit, status: :unprocessable_entity }
        format.json { render json: @appointment.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
      end
    end
  end

  # DELETE /appointments/1 or /appointments/1.json
  def destroy
    @appointment.destroy

    respond_to do |format|
      format.html { redirect_to appointments_url, notice: "Appointment was successfully destroyed." }
      format.json { head :no_content }
    end
  end

#function here that restricts editing so the current logged in user can edit only their records
def correct_user
  @appointment = current_user.appointments.find_by(id: params[:id])
  redirect_to appointments_path, notice:"NOT ALLOWED TO EDIT THIS" if @appointment.nil?
end

  private
    # Use callbacks to share common setup or constraints between actions.
    def set_appointment
      @appointment = Appointment.find(params[:id])
    end

    # Only allow a list of trusted parameters through.
    def appointment_params
      params.require(:appointment).permit(:barber, :customer, :notes, :date,:user_id)
    end
end

In my schema for the appointment model I have the column 'notes' which is where I want to filter bad words.

I want to integrate Badwordgem::Base.sanitize() into my controller so I can filter bad words when I am creating the appointment.

I've tried adding it here like so

def create
   #@appointment = Appointment.new(appointment_params)
   @appointment.notes = Badwordgem::Base.sanitize(@appointment.notes)
   @appointment = current_user.appointments.build(appointment_params)

but that throws undefined method `notes' for nil:NilClass

The gem has been tested with IRB and works. I am at a loss as to how to implement it inside my own rails project.

Where inside my controller do I add the method?

Answer 1

I would consider moving that logic into the model.

For example as a custom setter method :

# in app/models/appointment.rb
def notes=(notes)
  sanitized_notes = Badwordgem::Base.sanitize(notes)
  super(sanitized_notes)
end

Or as a before_validation :

# in app/models/appointment.rb
before_validation :sanitize_notes

private

def sanitize_notes
  self.notes = Badwordgem::Base.sanitize(notes)
end

Both versions have the advantage that they make sure all notes are sanitized no matter how they are created and not just in this specific controller method. For example when you import Appointments via a rake task or the Rails console. Additionally, this makes testing a bit easier and you can use the default pattern in the controller like this:

@appointment = current_user.appointments.build(appointment_params)
respond_to do |format|
  if @appointment.save
    # ...

Answer 2

Funny how once you post you figure it out. . .

I added this inside my create function it to filter the bad words.

def create
   #@appointment = Appointment.new(appointment_params)
   @appointment = current_user.appointments.build(appointment_params)
   @appointment.notes = Badwordgem::Base.sanitize(@appointment.notes)
    respond_to do |format|
      if @appointment.save
        format.html { redirect_to appointment_url(@appointment), notice: "Appointment was successfully created." }
        format.json { render :show, status: :created, location: @appointment }
      else
        format.html { render :new, status: :unprocessable_entity }
        format.json { render json: @appointment.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
      end
    end
  end