ruby script/plugin install http://code.stat.im/repos/plugins/super_transaction/tags/0.9/

==Examples

user = User.new(:login => "login", :password => "password")
book = Book.new(:title => "title")
page = Page.new(:summary => "summary")

Pass super_transaction a list of the objects that must pass for this transaction to be committed
Note: Make sure you pass these

book.user = user
page.book = book

ok = super_transaction(user, book, page) do
	user.save
	book.save
	page.save
end
ok #=> true

super_transaction always returns true or false. As long as you pass the correct objects as parameters, true means a COMMIT took place, false means a ROLLBACK took place

So the idea is you can write the procedure the same way you would if you weren't using a transaction. But, you get all of the benefits that you would if you had rolled your own #transaction call and accounted for all of the error/exception/validation handling for free.

For convenience, #super_transaction is defined in Object as well and just passes along to ActiveRecord::Base.super_transaction, which allows you to just call #super_transaction anywhere.

WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE WITHOUT super_transaction? (an explanation for the need super_transaction fills):

user = User.new(:login => "login", :password => "password")
book = Book.new(:title => "title")
page = Page.new(:summary => "summary")

book.user = user
page.book = book
models = [user, book, page]
ok = true

begin
  ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
    raise unless models.inject(true) { |s, model| model.save && s }
  end
rescue
  ok = false
end

ok                            #=> true

OK, so not terrible. It achives the same goals (in this case), but its cryptic and limiting. It limits us to #save for the models we pass in. But its the best bet before super_transaction in order to make sure we try to call #save on everything and not stop at the first failure

Here's a not so diligent way that doesnt fit my requirements:

ok = true

begin
  ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
    raise unless user.save
    raise unless book.save
    raise unless page.save
  end
rescue
  ok = false
end

ok                            #=> true

This one stops at the first failure, so we dont get validations on book or page if user fails to save. Ok, so we could call #valid? on each model beforehand, but then it starts to get ugly. Plus, what if an error is added in an #after_ method?

There is currently no advanced documentation for this plugin.