Using include_<association>? in 0.10.x not working?

[jensbjork]

In a nutshell, I have the following scenario:

Controller:

def index
    associations = params[:include] ? params[:include].split(",").map { |v| v.to_sym } : nil
    @posts = @posts.includes(associations)

    if @posts
        render json: @posts, include: params[:include]
    else
        render nothing: true, status: 404
    end
end

Serializer:

class PostSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
    attributes :id, :title
    has_many :comments

    def include_comments?
        object.association(:comments).loaded?
    end
end

My goal is to only load and query the database if associations are included in the include get parameter as of the JSON API standard. It seems like the include_association? is not handled at all, I've tried to return false directly in the method, but the assocations still queries the database. E.g:

def include_comments?
    false
end

I can't seem find documentation for this. Has the method changed or is there any other preferred way of doing this?

I am using master branch (0.10.x) and the JSON API adapter.

Thanks in advance

[rowlandrudolf]

Ran into the same situation... If you don't mind having an empty array you can redefine the :comments

has_many :comments

def comments
  object.association(:comments).loaded? ? object.comments : [] 
end

Or override the associations method.. Pretty ugly solution but it works as your include_comments? would

def included_associations
  [ :comments ] #etc..
end

def associations
  object_associations = super
  included_associations.each do |assoc|
    next unless object.association(assoc).loaded?
    object_associations[assoc] = []
    object.public_send(assoc).map { |c| object_associations[assoc] << get_serializer(c).as_json }
  end
  object_associations
end

def get_serializer(object, root=false)
  "#{object.class}Serializer".constantize.new(object, root: root)
end

[scttnlsn]

Is support for include_<attr or association>? planned for 0.10.x? I'd be happy to put together a pull request with this functionality (based on the 0.8.x code).

[ryansch]

I've hit my head on this as well.

[scttnlsn]

Here's a simple implementation that I'm trying out at the moment: master...scttnlsn:inclusion

[joaomdmoura]

I haven't read the thread yet, but it's already in my radar.
@scttnlsn make yourself comfortable, I can't guarantee that we will merge it, because as I said, I haven't read it yet. But thank you for your help and keep it up! 👍

[lukebergen]

Confirmed that this is also an issue (at least for me) in 0.9.3.

Edit: reading http://stackoverflow.com/questions/23390678/active-model-serializer-conditional-associations, I get the impression that 0.9.x changed things to use "filter" instead so nevermind. I guess I shouldn't have been using include_[attribute]? in 0.9.x to begin with. But for clarification, it will be coming back in 0.10.x? I don't see anything about filter in the 0.10.x readme.

[joaomdmoura]

ppl, just a quick update, we have being talking about conditional attributes, and we decided that filter will probably be coming back in 0.10.x cc/@lukebergen

We haven't started it yet because we are busy into some new features to AMS too, but we are willing to review a PR implementing it, otherwise it's already on our todo-list to a near-future. For now I'm closing this PR.

[leonelgalan]

Yeah, include_[attribute]? was dropped sometime around 0.9.0 (CHANGELOG.md change and Implentation commit) in favor of filter. I'm glad to know filter is coming back!

[dpmccabe]

I wanted to customize both the attributes and the associations according to some_flag (where if true then only a few of the attributes and one particular association are included) and this is how I solved it:

belongs_to :user
belongs_to :bill_address
belongs_to :stripe_card
has_many :shipments

def attributes(options = {})
  if object.some_flag
    super.slice(*%i(number state email errors))
  else
    super
  end
end

def each_association(&block)
  self.class._associations.dup.each do |name, association_options|
    next unless object && included_associations.include?(name)

    association_value = send(name)

    serializer_class = ActiveModel::Serializer.serializer_for(association_value, association_options)

    serializer = serializer_class.new(
      association_value,
      options.merge(serializer_from_options(association_options))
    ) if serializer_class

    if block_given?
      block.call(name, serializer, association_options[:association_options])
    end
  end
end

def included_associations
  if object.some_flag
    %i(bill_address)
  else
    %i(user bill_address stripe_card shipments)
  end
end

[joaomdmoura]

@dpmccabe would be awesome if you could checkout #999 and give it try. Check if it solves your problema, if it does 👍 it. 😄

[sars]

Guys, any updates on this issue?

[bf4]

@sars Are you asking about conditional attributes? If so, they're implemented in master. If you're asking about the specific syntax, it is not planned at present to re-introduce it, except, perhaps, in a 'legacy' serializer.