README

ActsAsVirtualAttribute
======================

Acts As Virtual Attribute is a plugin released under the MIT license. It creates virtual attributes on
ActiveRecord models using the pattern documented in The Pragmatic Programmers' Advanced Rails Recipes.

Thanks to Ryan Bates for all of the swell examples he has created on Railscasts.com.

Example
=======

class Project < ActiveRecord::Base

  has_many :tasks, :dependent => :destroy
  acts_as_virtual_attribute :tasks

end

<% fields_for_task task do |task_form| -%>
  <p class="task">Task: <%= task_form.text_field :name %>
     <%= link_to_remove_task "remove", ".task", task_form %>
  </p>
<% end -%>

acts_as_virtual_attribute has created the following:
* Project#new_task_attributes=(attributes) - used to set new task variables
* Project#existing_task_attributes=(attributes) - used to set existing task
    variables
* Project#save_tasks - used to save tasks because Rails doesn't save child 
    objects on update.
* an after_update callback to Project#save_tasks - required because Rails 
    doesn't save child objects on update
* ProjectsHelper#fields_for_task(task, &block) - provide the field name for 
    the fields_for in the form
* ProjectsHelper#link_to_remove_task(name, container, form, &block) - 
    provides a link to remove the current task 


** Notes **
If you are using namespaced models, it is expecting a helper for the name
of the class. So if you have a model like:

class Art::Picture < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :colors, :class_name => "Art::Color"
  acts_as_virtual_attribute :colors
end

then you will need to have a PicturesHelper. Be sure that it is loaded by
the controller so you can use it in the view.

Copyright (c) 2008 Carl B. Fyffe, released under the MIT license