ActiveRecord: change and save object state inside model

Question

I have the following code:

  def incoming_acceptation(incoming_code)
    if invite_code == incoming_code
      accepted = true
      self.save
      true
    else
      false
    end
  end

But it does not change and save accepted to true, it remains in the previous state, false.

@i.incoming_acceptation(incoming_code) => true
@i.accepted => false

Answer 1

self.accepted = true

Answer 2

I recommend:

def incoming_acceptation(incoming_code)
  update_attribute(:accepted, true) if invite_code == incoming_code
end

update_attribute will change and save that attribute. There's also update_attributes (notice the s) that accepts Hash to change multiple attributes at once:

@obj.update_attributes(:accepted => true, :accepted_at => Time.now)

Note: update_attribute and update_attributes both return true when the change and save were successful, just like in your example.