instance method `serialize`

Ruby on Rails 4.0.13

Since v3.2.22.5

Available in: v3.2.22.5 v4.0.13 v4.1.16 v4.2.9 v5.2.8.1 v6.0.6 v6.1.7.10 v7.0.10 v7.1.6 v7.2.3 v8.0.4 v8.1.2

Compare with:

serialize(attr_name, class_name_or_coder = Object)

If you have an attribute that needs to be saved to the database as an object, and retrieved as the same object, then specify the name of that attribute using this method and it will be handled automatically. The serialization is done through YAML. If class_name is specified, the serialized object must be of that class on retrieval or SerializationTypeMismatch will be raised.

Parameters

attr_name - The field name that should be serialized.
class_name_or_coder - Optional, a coder object, which responds to .load / .dump or a class name that the object type should be equal to.

Example

# Serialize a preferences attribute.
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  serialize :preferences
end

# Serialize preferences using JSON as coder.
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  serialize :preferences, JSON
end

# Serialize preferences as Hash using YAML coder.
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  serialize :preferences, Hash
end

Parameters

attr_name req
class_name_or_coder opt = Object

Source

# File activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/serialization.rb, line 49
        def serialize(attr_name, class_name_or_coder = Object)
          include Behavior

          coder = if [:load, :dump].all? { |x| class_name_or_coder.respond_to?(x) }
                    class_name_or_coder
                  else
                    Coders::YAMLColumn.new(class_name_or_coder)
                  end

          # merge new serialized attribute and create new hash to ensure that each class in inheritance hierarchy
          # has its own hash of own serialized attributes
          self.serialized_attributes = serialized_attributes.merge(attr_name.to_s => coder)
        end

Defined in activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/serialization.rb line 49 · View on GitHub · Improve this page · Find usages on GitHub

Defined in ActiveRecord::AttributeMethods::Serialization::ClassMethods

Signature

Parameters

Example

Parameters