DRY Metaprogramming

Bad Smell

class Post < ActiveRecord::Base
  validate_inclusion_of :status, :in => ['draft', 'published', 'spam']

  def self.all_draft
    find(:all, :conditions => { :status => 'draft' }
  end

  def self.all_published
    find(:all, :conditions => { :status => 'published' }
  end

  def self.all_spam
    find(:all, :conditions => { :status => 'spam' }
  end

  def draft?
    self.status == 'draft'
  end

  def published?
    self.status == 'published'
  end

  def spam?
    self.status == 'spam'
  end
end

In this example, we have the similar method definitions of all_draft, all_published, all spam and draft?, published?, spam?, their differences are dependent on the method name, more precisely, dependent on the different status. We can simplify the codes by using meta programming.

Refactor

class Post < ActiveRecord::Base

  STATUSES = ['draft', 'published', 'spam']
  validate_inclusion_of :status, :in => STATUSES

  class <<self
    STATUSES.each do |status_name|
      define_method "all_#{status_name}" do
        find(:all, :conditions => { :status => status_name }
      end
    end
  end

  STATUSES.each do |status_name|
    define_method "#{status_name}?" do
      self.status == status_name
    end
  end

end

It is much cleaner to use the meta programming to dynamic define the methods, besides this, it is much easier to meet the changes, if some statuses are added, changed or removed, what you should do is to change the constants STATUSES.

Updated: thanks @funny_falcon