Rails 4 - how to give alias names to includes() and joins() in active record querying

Question

How can I give an alias name for e.g. includes()? Following is given:

• User: active record model
• Student: active record model, inherits from

Answer 1

Arel does actually have an alias method.

student_alias = Student.arel_table.alias(:my_student_table_alias)

caveat: this will require you to use even more handcrafted Arel and do the join manually. And the joins in Arel can get a bit complicated if you're not used to them.

student_alias_join = student_alias.create_on(
  Project.arel_table[:primary_key].eq(student_alias[:project_id])
)

Project.joins(
  Project.arel_table.create_join(
    student_alias, student_alias_join, Arel::Nodes::OuterJoin
  )
).order(...)

Something like this should do it. Of course putting this into some Class method with :my_student_table_alias as parameter would make it more tidy and reusable as this would look a bit messy in a controller.