Updating `User` attributes without requiring password

Question

Right now, users can edit some their attributes without having to enter their password because my validations are set up like this:

validates :password, :prese         


        

Answer 1

# It smells

def update
  if params[:user][:password].blank?
    params[:user].delete :password
    params[:user].delete :password_confirmation
  end

  if @user.update_attributes(params[:user])
    flash[:success] = "Edit Successful."
    redirect_to @user
  else
    @title = "Edit user"
    render 'edit'
  end
end

# Refactoring

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  ...
  def update_attributes(params)
    if params[:password].blank?
      params.delete :password
      params.delete :password_confirmation
      super params
    end
  end
  ...
end

def update
  if @user.update_attributes(params[:user])
    flash[:success] = "Edit Successful."
    redirect_to @user
  else
    @title = "Edit user"
    render 'edit'
  end
end

# And little better

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  ...
  def custom_update_attributes(params)
    if params[:password].blank?
      params.delete :password
      params.delete :password_confirmation
      update_attributes params
    end
  end
  ...
end

def update
  if @user.custom_update_attributes(params[:user])
    flash[:success] = "Edit Successful."
    redirect_to @user
  else
    @title = "Edit user"
    render 'edit'
  end
end