Update more record in one query with Active Record in Rails - sql

Question

Is there a better way to update more record in one query with different values in Ruby on Rails? I solved using CASE in SQL, but is there any Active Record solution for that?
Basically I save a new sort order when a new list arrive back from a jquery ajax post.
#List of product ids in sorted order. Get from jqueryui sortable plugin.
#product_ids = [3,1,2,4,7,6,5]
# Simple solution which generate a loads of queries. Working but slow.
#product_ids.each_with_index do |id, index|
# Product.where(id: id).update_all(sort_order: index+1)
#end
##CASE syntax example:
##Product.where(id: product_ids).update_all("sort_order = CASE id WHEN 539 THEN 1 WHEN 540 THEN 2 WHEN 542 THEN 3 END")
case_string = "sort_order = CASE id "
product_ids.each_with_index do |id, index|
case_string += "WHEN #{id} THEN #{index+1} "
end
case_string += "END"
Product.where(id: product_ids).update_all(case_string)
This solution works fast and only one query, but I create a query string like in php. :) What would be your suggestion?

Answer 1

You should check out the acts_as_list gem. It does everything you need and it uses 1-3 queries behind the scenes. Its a perfect match to use with jquery sortable plugin. It relies on incrementing/decrementing the position (sort_order) field directly in SQL.
This won't be a good solution for you, if your UI/UX relies on saving the order manually by the user (user sorts out the things and then clicks update/save). However I strongly discourage this kind of interface, unless there is a specific reason (for example you cannot have intermediate state in database between old and new order, because something else depends on that order).
If thats not the case, then by all means just do an asynchronous update after user moves one element (and acts_as_list will be great to help you accomplish that).
Check out:
https://github.com/swanandp/acts_as_list/blob/master/lib/acts_as_list/active_record/acts/list.rb#L324
# This has the effect of moving all the higher items down one.
def increment_positions_on_higher_items
return unless in_list?
acts_as_list_class.unscoped.where(
"#{scope_condition} AND #{position_column} < #{send(position_column).to_i}"
).update_all(
"#{position_column} = (#{position_column} + 1)"
)
end