It seems like you need a Rails validation callback (and a virtual attribute forsubmitted_password). I'd write:

attr_accessor :submitted_passwordvalidate :password_format_is_valid?def password_format_is_valid?  regex = Regexp.new(Setting['global_admin.password_format_regex'])  unless submitted_password =~ regex    self.errors.add(:password, Setting['global_admin.password_format_error_message'])    false  endend

Comments:

• In the vein of Lisp, the last expression of a body in Ruby is the return value of the method/block, so no need to use an explicitreturn (in fact it's unidiomatic and discouraged)

• Note that Rails can validate fields with regular expression, you should use the predefined validations whenever possible:validates_format_of.

• \$\begingroup\$Thank you for the explanation and example - much appreciated!\$\endgroup\$

  Douglas Birch

  – Douglas Birch

  2012-10-10 15:03:43 +00:00

  CommentedOct 10, 2012 at 15:03
• \$\begingroup\$This returnsnil when the password is valid.\$\endgroup\$

  steenslag

  – steenslag

  2012-11-10 21:09:12 +00:00

  CommentedNov 10, 2012 at 21:09
• \$\begingroup\$@steenslag: Indeed, I tried to write the method as a Rails callback, but the code was incomplete. Edited.\$\endgroup\$

  tokland

  – tokland

  2012-11-10 21:42:31 +00:00

  CommentedNov 10, 2012 at 21:42

There is no need to write explicitreturn . You can omit it. Because in Ruby the result of last executed statement in your code is returned automatically.

• \$\begingroup\$Care to expand your answer a bit to explainwhyreturn can be omitted?\$\endgroup\$

  yannis

  – yannis

  2012-10-10 04:30:57 +00:00

  CommentedOct 10, 2012 at 4:30

• ruby
• validation