rails 3: is there a way to use pluralize() inside

Question

It seems pluralize() only works within a view -- is there some way that my models can use pluralize() too?

(I have methods in my model that return message strings for users that do not go to a view -- for example messages sent via SMS text message.)

Answer 1

Add this to your model:

include ActionView::Helpers::TextHelper

Answer 2

This worked for me in rails 5.1 (see 2nd method, first method is calling it.)

# gets a count of the users certifications, if they have any.
def certifications_count
  @certifications_count = self.certifications.count
  unless @certifications_count == 0 
    return pluralize_it(@certifications_count, "certification")
  end
end

# custom helper method to pluralize.
def pluralize_it(count, string)
  return ActionController::Base.helpers.pluralize(count, string)
end

Answer 3

YOu can add a method like this in your model

  def self.pluralize(word)
    ActiveSupport::Inflector.pluralize(word)
  end

and call it in this way

City.pluralize("ruby")
=> "rubies"

Answer 4

My favorite way is to create a TextHelper in my app that provides these as class methods for use in my model:

app/helpers/text_helper.rb

module TextHelper                       
  extend ActionView::Helpers::TextHelper
end                                     

app/models/any_model.rb

def validate_something
  ...
  errors.add(:base, "#{TextHelper.pluralize(count, 'things')} are missing")
end

Including ActionView::Helpers::TextHelper in your models works, but you also litter up your model with lots of helper methods that don't need to be there.

It's also not nearly as clear where the pluralize method came from in your model. This method makes it explicit - TextHelper.pluralize.

Finally, you won't have to add an include to every model that wants to pluralize something; you can just call it on TextHelper directly.

Answer 5

Rather than extend things, I just it like this:

ActionController::Base.helpers.pluralize(count, 'mystring')

Hope this helps someone else!