How to determine table name within a Rails 3 model class

Question

I want to get table name in a model method. I found there should be method table_name but when I try to call it I get NameError Exception: undefined local variable or method `ta

Answer 1

If you are in a class method of the class you want the table name for, try:

class Model < ActiveRecord::Base
  def self.class_method
    puts self.table_name
  end
end

If you try using

self.class.table_name

you'll run into a NoMethodError: undefined method 'table_name' for Class:Class

Answer 2

Found it.

It's a class method. Its not so obvious from the Rails 3 documentation.

self.class.table_name

Answer 3

But I need that information in the model's instance method. How to get it?

You can simply do this in your instance method:

class Model
  def instance_method
    puts Model.table_name
  end
end