Confusing .where query result using ActiveRecord

Question

I'm trying to run a simple fetch using ActiveRecord and I'm confused by the result. This is the code I'm trying to run

c = Child.where("name LIKE ?", "%John D%")

I have a Child model and a corresponding table in my database. There is a record for "John Doe" in the database that outputs as being found in the rails console. However, when I execute

c.name

It outputs

=> "Child"

instead of

=> "John Doe"

If I run

c = Child.find_by_name("John Doe")

everything works fine. I'm sure there is an obvious solution here, but I just can't seem to figure it out.

swilliams · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-09 22:34:02Z

3

The where returns an ActiveRecord Relation. If you do a c.class that will give you ActiveRecord::Relation::ActiveRecord_Relation_Child. To get an actual object you can just do:

c = Child.where("name LIKE ?", "%John D%").first

Note that will be nil if there are no results for the query.

answered Nov 9, 2013 at 22:34

swilliams

49.1k27 gold badges103 silver badges130 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Jason Burgett Over a year ago

This works. You can also use c = Child.where("name LIKE ?", "%John D%").all to get an Array of all matching results

swilliams Over a year ago

Yup! There are lots of things you can do with the results :).

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Confusing .where query result using ActiveRecord

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related