Rails: read integer from tinyint

Question

I have a RoR + MySQL setup. In the database there is a Tinyint field t. When I read the value of t from Rails I get true or false because a Tinyint field is interpreted by Rails as boolean. So far so good.

How do I read this field t as an actual integer from Rails?

Please show the code you are using to read it as a boolean; I'm surprised that you can't read it as an integer in the same way (it is, after all, a 1-byte integer column). I don't know if there's a better way in Ruby, but at worst you could try SELECT CONVERT(tinyintcolumn, [UN]SIGNED) FROM my_table? — eggyal
– eggyal, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 13:21
I just use a standard Model.find_by_id() to fetch the record. — TTT
– TTT, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 13:28

sumskyi · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-30 13:30:49Z

7

http://apidock.com/rails/ActiveRecord/AttributeMethods/BeforeTypeCast/attributes_before_type_cast

for instance:

Model.first.attributes_before_type_cast['your_boolean_field']

It depends on your DB what value will be returned, in postgesql it is 'f' or 't'

answered Aug 30, 2012 at 13:30

sumskyi

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2 Comments

Ben Visness Over a year ago

If you only need one field, you can also use the method read_attribute_before_type_cast('your_boolean_field') or even your_boolean_field_before_type_cast.

Bernardo Loureiro Over a year ago

read_attribute_before_type_cast doesn't worked for me. Here, you can see how I resolve it.

kael · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-28 19:56:38Z

2

To build on @sumskyi's response, if you always access this field as a regular integer, you can just override the model's built-in method and save yourself the repetitive motion injury:

class GroceryStore < ActiveRecord::Base
  # rating is a TINYINT column
  # we just redefine the method here to return the value cast how we want it
  def rating
    self.attributes_before_type_cast['rating'].to_i
  end
end

Now if you call grocerystore.rating you'll get an integer instead of a boolean.

answered Feb 28, 2013 at 19:56

kael

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1 Comment

kael Over a year ago

Found some more helpful info here: You can disabled boolean interpretation altogether by setting ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::Mysql2Adapter.emulate_booleans = false in config/application.rb. However, they don't mention that you also have to explicitly require active_record/connection_adapters/mysql2_adapter in application.rb, so make sure not to miss that! See this post.

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