method

update_all

Importance_5
v1.0.0 - Show latest stable - 9 notes - Class: ActiveRecord::Base
update_all(updates, conditions = nil) public

Updates all records with the SET-part of an SQL update statement in updates and returns an integer with the number of rows updated. A subset of the records can be selected by specifying conditions. Example: 

  Billing.update_all "category = 'authorized', approved = 1", "author = 'David'"
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July 29, 2008 - (v2.1.0)
16 thanks

Scoped using - more simple way

Regarding to the example from james, there is a more simple way to do this:

user.messages.update_all(:read => true)
July 23, 2008 - (<= v2.1.0)
9 thanks

perform update_all scoped within a has_many collection

For example: having two models, User and Message (user has_many messages, each message has a boolean flag called ‘read’). You want to mark all messages as read for a particular user.

Mark all messages as read for a particular user

Message.update_all({:read => true}, {:id => user.messages})
November 12, 2009
8 thanks

Use hash form of updates argument

The examples are unfortunate, because passing a string as the updates argument is an invitation to SQL injection attacks. Don’t do this!

Billing.update_all("author='#{author}'")

Use the hash form of updates instead:

Billing.update_all(:author => author)

Then the SQL adapter will quote everything safely. Even if [you think] you’re sure there’s no quoting issue, it’s better to cultivate the habit of using the hash form just in case you missed something.

Same with conditions–use the hash or array form rather than a string if there are variables involved.

BTW, to do this and give options, of course you’ll need to put the braces back in:

Billing.update_all({:author => author},
                   ['title like ?', "#{prefix}%"])
February 7, 2011 - (v1.0.0 - v2.3.8)
0 thanks

If on Rails 3

If you’re on Rails 3, you should look into

http://apidock.com/rails/ActiveRecord/Relation/update_all
August 16, 2010
0 thanks

update_all and serialized attributes

If you use update_all to change an attribute marked as serialized ( using ActiveRecord::Base.serialize ), you need to call to_yaml yourself:

User.update_all({ :preferences => { :first_name => 'John',
                                     :last_name  => 'Doe' }.to_yaml })
February 5, 2011 - (<= v2.3.8)
0 thanks

update_all (and delete_all) don't play nicely with default_scope

If you have

class Topic < ActiveRecord::Base
  default_scope :conditions => "forums.preferences > 1", :include => [:forum]
end

and you do a

Topic.update_all(...)

it’ll fail with

Mysql::Error: Unknown column 'forums.preferences' in 'where clause'

The work around for this is:

Topic.send(:with_exclusive_scope) { Topic.update_all(...) }

You can monkey patch this using this code (and requiring it in environment.rb or else where)

module ActiveRecordMixins
  class ActiveRecord::Base
    def self.update_all!(*args)
      self.send(:with_exclusive_scope) { self.update_all(*args) }
    end
    def self.delete_all!(*args)
      self.send(:with_exclusive_scope) { self.delete_all(*args) }
    end
  end
end
end

Then just you update_all! or delete_all! when it has a default scope.

July 2, 2015
0 thanks

Usage with enum

With enum fields you must use integer values:

code

Model.update_all(type: Model.types[specific_type])
August 2, 2015
0 thanks

Skip validation

update_all : skip validations, and will save the object to the database regardless of its validity. They should be used with caution.

October 2, 2012 - (<= v2.3.8)
0 thanks

Clarification with use of update_all

I would like to point out that if you are on rails 2.3.11 or lower you will not be able to run ledermann code.

Ledermann Code

user.messages.update_all(:read => true)

If you are running 2.3 or later it you will have to use James code

James Code

Message.update_all({:read => true}, {:id => user.messages})

thanks guys for all the code help