method

alias_method_chain

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What's this?

alias_method_chain(target, feature) public

Encapsulates the common pattern of:

alias_method :foo_without_feature, :foo
alias_method :foo, :foo_with_feature

With this, you simply do:

alias_method_chain :foo, :feature

And both aliases are set up for you.

Query and bang methods (foo?, foo!) keep the same punctuation:

alias_method_chain :foo?, :feature

is equivalent to

alias_method :foo_without_feature?, :foo?
alias_method :foo?, :foo_with_feature?

so you can safely chain foo, foo?, foo! and/or foo= with the same feature.

Show source

# File activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/aliasing.rb, line 23
  def alias_method_chain(target, feature)
    # Strip out punctuation on predicates, bang or writer methods since
    # e.g. target?_without_feature is not a valid method name.
    aliased_target, punctuation = target.to_s.sub(/([?!=])$/, ''), $1
    yield(aliased_target, punctuation) if block_given?

    with_method = "#{aliased_target}_with_#{feature}#{punctuation}"
    without_method = "#{aliased_target}_without_#{feature}#{punctuation}"

    alias_method without_method, target
    alias_method target, with_method

    case
    when public_method_defined?(without_method)
      public target
    when protected_method_defined?(without_method)
      protected target
    when private_method_defined?(without_method)
      private target
    end
  end

August 29, 2008

10 thanks

Always pass a block

I highly recommend always taking a block and passing it back up the chain if you use alias_method_chain, even if the original method does not. Otherwise you’re keeping anyone later in the chain from adding support for blocks.

http://tech.hickorywind.org/articles/2008/08/29/always-pass-a-block-when-using-alias_method_chain

April 1, 2009 - (>= v2.1.0)

2 thanks

Deprecated

This method is now at ActiveSupport::CoreExtensions::Module#alias_method_chain

alias_method_chain

Related methods

Always pass a block

Deprecated