adding some documentation to methods

README.md

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ The Ruby `subscribe_to` helper call is still necessary with this approach to gra
 
 The configuration is set separately for each environment in the generated `config/private_pub.yml` file. Here are the options.
 
-* `server`: The URL to use for the Faye server.
+* `server`: The URL to use for the Faye server such as `http://localhost:9292/faye`.
 * `secret_token`: A secret hash to secure the server. Can be any string.
 * `signature_expiration`: The length of time in seconds before a subscription signature expires. If this is not set there is no expiration. Note: if Faye is on a separate server from the Rails app, the system clocks must be in sync for the expiration to work properly.
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ The `subscribe_to` helper will output the following script which subscribes the
 </script>
 ```
 
-The signature and timestamp checked on the Faye server to ensure users are only able to access channels you subscribe them too. The signature will automatically expire after the time specified in the configuration.
+The signature and timestamp checked on the Faye server to ensure users are only able to access channels you subscribe them to. The signature will automatically expire after the time specified in the configuration.
 
 The `publish_to` method will send a post request to the Faye server (using `Net::HTTP`) instructing it to send the given data back to the browser.
 

lib/private_pub.rb

@@ -10,26 +10,30 @@ class Error < StandardError; end
   class << self
     attr_reader :config
 
+    # Resets the configuration to the default (empty hash)
     def reset_config
       @config = {}
     end
 
+    # Loads the  configuration from a given YAML file and environment (such as production)
     def load_config(filename, environment)
       yaml = YAML.load_file(filename)[environment.to_s]
       raise ArgumentError, "The #{environment} environment does not exist in #{filename}" if yaml.nil?
       yaml.each { |k, v| config[k.to_sym] = v }
     end
 
-    def subscription(options = {})
-      sub = {:server => config[:server], :timestamp => (Time.now.to_f * 1000).round}.merge(options)
-      sub[:signature] = Digest::SHA1.hexdigest([config[:secret_token], sub[:channel], sub[:timestamp]].join)
-      sub
-    end
-
+    # Publish the given data to a specific channel. This ends up sending
+    # a Net::HTTP POST request to the Faye server.
     def publish_to(channel, data)
       publish_message(message(channel, data))
     end
 
+    # Sends the given message hash to the Faye server using Net::HTTP.
+    def publish_message(message)
+      Net::HTTP.post_form(URI.parse(config[:server]), :message => message.to_json)
+    end
+
+    # Returns a message hash for sending to Faye
     def message(channel, data)
       message = {:channel => channel, :data => {:channel => channel}, :ext => {:private_pub_token => config[:secret_token]}}
       if data.kind_of? String
@@ -40,14 +44,20 @@ def message(channel, data)
       message
     end
 
-    def publish_message(message)
-      Net::HTTP.post_form(URI.parse(config[:server]), :message => message.to_json)
+    # Returns a subscription hash to pass to the PrivatePub.sign call in JavaScript.
+    def subscription
+      sub = {:server => config[:server], :timestamp => (Time.now.to_f * 1000).round}.merge(options)
+      sub[:signature] = Digest::SHA1.hexdigest([config[:secret_token], sub[:channel], sub[:timestamp]].join)
+      sub
     end
 
+    # Determine if the signature has expired given a timestamp.
     def signature_expired?(timestamp)
       timestamp < ((Time.now.to_f - config[:signature_expiration])*1000).round if config[:signature_expiration]
     end
 
+    # Returns the Faye Rack application.
+    # Any options given are passed to the Faye::RackAdapter.
     def faye_app(options = {})
       options = {:mount => "/faye", :timeout => 45, :extensions => [FayeExtension.new]}.merge(options)
       Faye::RackAdapter.new(options)

lib/private_pub/engine.rb

@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@
 
 module PrivatePub
   class Engine < Rails::Engine
+    # Loads the private_pub.yml file if it exists.
     initializer "private_pub.config" do
       path = Rails.root.join("config/private_pub.yml")
       PrivatePub.load_config(path, Rails.env) if path.exist?
     end
 
+    # Adds the ViewHelpers into ActionView::Base
     initializer "private_pub.view_helpers" do
       ActionView::Base.send :include, ViewHelpers
     end

lib/private_pub/faye_extension.rb

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 module PrivatePub
+  # This class is an extension for the Faye::RackAdapter.
+  # It is used inside of PrivatePub.faye_app.
   class FayeExtension
+    # Callback to handle incoming Faye messages. This authenticates both
+    # subscribe and publish calls.
     def incoming(message, callback)
       if message["channel"] == "/meta/subscribe"
         authenticate_subscribe(message)
@@ -11,6 +15,7 @@ def incoming(message, callback)
 
   private
 
+    # Ensure the subscription signature is correct and that it has not expired.
     def authenticate_subscribe(message)
       subscription = PrivatePub.subscription(:channel => message["subscription"], :timestamp => message["ext"]["private_pub_timestamp"])
       if message["ext"]["private_pub_signature"] != subscription[:signature]
@@ -20,6 +25,7 @@ def authenticate_subscribe(message)
       end
     end
 
+    # Ensures the secret token is correct before publishing.
     def authenticate_publish(message)
       if PrivatePub.config[:secret_token].nil?
         raise Error, "No secret_token config set, ensure private_pub.yml is loaded properly."

lib/private_pub/view_helpers.rb

@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
 module PrivatePub
   module ViewHelpers
+    # Publish the given data or block to the client by sending
+    # a Net::HTTP POST request to the Faye server. If a block
+    # or string is passed in, it is evaluated as JavaScript
+    # on the client. Otherwise it will be converted to JSON
+    # for use in a JavaScript callback.
     def publish_to(channel, data = nil, &block)
       PrivatePub.publish_to(channel, data || capture(&block))
     end
 
+    # Subscribe the client to the given channel. This generates
+    # some JavaScript calling PrivatePub.sign with the subscription
+    # options.
     def subscribe_to(channel)
       subscription = PrivatePub.subscription(:channel => channel)
       content_tag "script", :type => "text/javascript" do

spec/fixtures/private_pub.yml

@@ -6,5 +6,3 @@ production:
   server: http://example.com/faye
   secret_token: PRODUCTION_SECRET_TOKEN
   signature_expiration: 600
-no_signature_expiration:
-  signature_expiration:

spec/private_pub_spec.rb

@@ -26,11 +26,6 @@
     PrivatePub.config[:signature_expiration].should == 600
   end
 
-  it "supports a nil signature_expiration via a blank value in the configuration file" do
-    PrivatePub.load_config("spec/fixtures/private_pub.yml", :no_signature_expiration)
-    PrivatePub.config[:signature_expiration].should be_nil
-  end
-
   it "raises an exception if an invalid environment is passed to load_config" do
     lambda {
       PrivatePub.load_config("spec/fixtures/private_pub.yml", :test)