Thanks Fred. I had a look at the send method. That is exactly what I needed. Also thanks for not giving the answer in code since I would probably not have read up on the send method and fully understood it.
A good explanation of the send method for anyone else that wanders here is http://www.softiesonrails.com/2007/8/15/ruby-101-methods-and-messages and the API is defined here http://ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Object.html#M000334 Will On Nov 13, 8:30 pm, Frederick Cheung <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Nov 13, 9:29 pm, Mernagh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > I have searched many sites for the solution. And maybe there is none > > or more likely it is so easy no one mentions it. > > > The problem is this. I have an class called Event which has a HABTM > > relationship with Note. > > > I can do the following with no problems > > e = Event.new > > e['name'] = 'test' > > e['state'] = 'started' > > > But I cannot access the notes attribute in the same way > > e.notes << Note.find(:all) > > e.notes.size #=> 11 > > e['notes'] #=> nil > > > Why is it I can access e.name as e['name'] but not e.notes as e > > ['notes']? > > Because name is an attribute (ie backed by some column on your table), > but notes isn't (its an association). The [] and []= methods are > equivalent to read/write_attribute, which as their names suggest are > for playing with attributes. > > > And is there a work around to access notes only knowing the string > > name ("notes")? > > Read up on your ruby (in particular the send method) > > Fred > > > Will --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
